Early season avalanche conditions exist. Start into the winter with a cautious approach.
Weather Forecast
Wind and warming temperatures are expected through the weekend. Snow accumulations near the Columbia Icefield area may reach 10 cm by Saturday.
Snowpack Summary
A thin snowpack has been redistributed by recent winds. Observations from the roadside indicate there is a rain crust or temperature crust in the low alpine on north and east aspects. This has created a sliding surface for recent snows.
Avalanche Summary
Several natural slabs avalanches have been observed along the Icefield Parkway. Some of these are big (to size 3) and have propagated over hundreds of meters.
Confidence
Due to the quality of field observations
Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.