Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Bow Valley, Highwood Pass, Kananaskis, North 40, Spray - KLakes.
Out with the 2024 snowpack and in with the hopefully snowy 2025! Happy new years! Some good skiing can be found in alpine areas on sheltered northern aspects. If you keep your expectations lower you wont be disappointed!
Confidence
High
Avalanche Summary
A few loose dry avalanches up to sz 1 out of step unskiable terrain.
Snowpack Summary
Light winds and subtle inputs of snow over the past few days are adding up to 10-12cm of snow. This snow has seen very little effect from winds which have generally been light over the past few days. This new snow is hiding previous windslabs so be curious about this problem in the snowpack as you continue to gain elevation. Watch for these at cols and around ridgelines at treeline and above.
The Dec 7th temperature crust can be found on solar aspects up to 2500m down 30-50cm and the weak basal facets that once were the November and October crusts are close to ground. Thin areas where the basal layers could be triggered should be treated with caution.
Any avalanche in the upper snowpack will likely involve the entire snowpack and scrub down to ground so keep this in mind as you travel.
Weather Summary
Cooler Temperatures coming. See table.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Windslabs in the upper snowpack are common in alpine areas.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2
Deep Persistent Slabs
If triggered the surface wind slabs may step down to this layer and involve the entire winters snowpack.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1.5 - 2.5