Avalanche forecast

Jasper

Jan 13 – 14, 2025Avalanche Canada
View on map
Archived · expired 2 years ago

Avalanche danger

Wed
Thu
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
Open full map

Highlights

Identify wind impacted snow by watching for sudden changes in surface texture and hardness.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–2

    Last weeks winds came from the Northwest, West and Southwest. Many high elevation features could have wind slabs.

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    1–3

    A variety of crusts with facets above and below exist at the bottom of the snowpack. These layers are going to be with us for a long time and pose a low probability, high consequence situation if triggered.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

No patrol occurred Sunday. A couple low elevation size 1.5 loose avalanches were noted Saturday at highway level Coleman cliffs. Marmot basin explosive triggered a size 2 to ground on a North aspect on Friday. The slope was not previously controlled.

Snowpack Summary

5cm new snow at the icefields Friday night. Wind slabs formed before that from NW-W-SW winds. The snowpack is 60-120cm in depth at tree line. 10-30cm sits atop a weakening melt freeze crust and surface hoar layer from early December. The middle of the snowpack is facetted and there is a deep persistent layer at the base of the snowpack consisting of a decomposing melt freeze crust and depth hoar.

Weather Summary

Expect sun, cloud, no new snow, light winds, and -2 °C on Monday. A few flurries will come on Tuesday and Wednesday but nothing significant.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Approach lee and cross-loaded slopes with caution.
  • Be careful with wind-loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and rollovers.

Regions covered