Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 24th, 2025–Jan 25th, 2025

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Jasper, Brazeau, Churchill, Cirrus-Wilson, Fryatt, Icefields, Maligne, Marmot, Miette Lake, Pyramid.

Look for the best conditions at treeline and in sheltered areas, recent winds have formed windslabs in a wide range of areas due to changing wind directions.

Assess the deep persistent slab as you choose terrain, as it remains a low probability but high consequence problem in the snowpack.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches observed on road patrol on January 23rd.

Avalanche control on Parker Ridge on Friday Jan 17th produced slab avalanches up to size 2.5. These avalanches stepped down to the Basal Deep Persistent Layer.

Snowpack Summary

Widespread wind effect at alpine and treeline elevations. Wind slabs have formed over a very weak faceted mid pack. At the bottom of the snowpack are the early season crusts, which are faceting and often surrounded by large depth hoar. The snowpack is 70-130 cm in depth at treeline. Below treeline travel is difficult in the faceted and thin snowpack.

Sunday

Widespread wind effect at alpine and treeline elevations. Wind slabs have formed over a very weak faceted mid pack. At the bottom of the snowpack are the early season crusts, which are faceting and often surrounded by large depth hoar. The snowpack is 70-130 cm in depth at treeline. Below treeline travel is difficult in the faceted and thin snowpack.

Weather Summary

Saturday

Sunny with cloudy periods. Precipitation: Nil. Alpine temperature: High -5 °C. Ridge wind northwest: 10-20 km/h. Freezing level at valley bottom.

Sunday

Sunny with cloudy periods. Precipitation: Nil. Alpine temperature: Low -6 °C, High 3 °C. Ridge wind northwest: 10 km/h. Freezing level: 2400 metres.

Monday

Sunny with cloudy periods. Precipitation: Nil. Alpine temperature: Low 0 °C, High 3 °C. Ridge wind northwest: 10-25 km/h. Freezing level: 2900 metres.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Be careful with wind-loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and rollovers.
Avoid exposure to overhead avalanche terrain; avalanches may run surprisingly far.

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.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.