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Archived

Avalanche Forecast

Dec 25th, 2023–Dec 26th, 2023
Alpine
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low
Alpine
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low
Alpine
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low

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

Be on the lookout for wind slab development throughout the day on Tuesday.

Merry Christmas!

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanche activity reported today.

Minor sloughing in steep alpine terrain and a small pocket of windslab from cornice trigger being reported on Dec 23 .

Snowpack Summary

Previous strong winds have stripped exposed alpine and tree-line terrain, creating hard wind slabs in cross-loaded and lee features. The snowpack is 45-80cm deep and is weak and facetted throughout. Basal weaknesses are a combo of large facets and chains of depth hoar.

An Ice Climbing Conditions report is available here.

Weather Summary

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

Monday

Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries. Trace amounts of precipitation. Alpine temperature: Low -13 °C, High -8 °C with ridgetop wind southwest: 15 km/h.

Tuesday

Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries and trace precipitation. Ridge wind southwest: 15 km/h gusting to 40 km/h

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.
  • Early season avalanches at any elevation have the potential to be particularly dangerous due to obstacles that are exposed or just below the surface.

Avalanche Problems

Wind Slabs

Previous strong winds have stripped exposed alpine and tree-line terrain, creating wind slabs in cross-loaded and lee features. Recent Northerly wind may have caused reverse loading in some areas.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South, North West.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood: Possible

Expected Size: 1 - 2

Deep Persistent Slabs

You must keep this basal layer on your radar as triggering is possible in some features, like approaching or moving between pitches on ice climbs. Be cautious in steep terrain if you find yourself standing on the surface and not wallowing in facets, that's the problem slab.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size: 1 - 2.5