Avalanche forecast

Jasper

Dec 20 – 21, 2023Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Ice Climbers: What's over your head?

Warm temps over the next few days will make thin, early-season ice even weaker.

Watch for isolated slabs, loose dry, and sluffs in consequential terrain.

Riders: If you find the snowpack supportive, you are on a slab over weak facets, it's not a great combo.

Best bet for safe turns, try the ski hill.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Strong to extreme southwesterly winds created a few wind slab layers over the last week. Limited natural activity has been observed.

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

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

    No natural activity observed. Keep this on your radar as triggering remains possible with the shallow nature of the overall snowpack. This problem is of most concern in wind loaded alpine features, specifically below ridge tops.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Following a weak weather system from Monday, there is ~10cm of low density, well redistributed in open terrain around the Icefields. The whole area looks to be in rough shape. Snowballing observed below 2000m on solar slopes. Some loose dry was observed during the day Tuesday from ledges at Weeping Wall.

Weather Summary

The Mountain Weather Forecast is available at Avalanche Canada https://avalanche.ca/weather/forecast

Wednesday

A mix of sun and cloud. No precip. Alpine High: -2 °C. Light ridgetop winds, south.

Freezing level: 1900 metres. Warm temps. at low elevations. Especially around Jasper townsite.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Early season avalanches at any elevation have the potential to be particularly dangerous due to obstacles that are exposed or just below the surface.

Regions covered