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Archived

Avalanche Forecast

Dec 20th, 2023–Dec 21st, 2023
Alpine
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate
Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be low
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
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be low
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
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be low
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.

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.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

Following a weak weather system from Monday, there was ~10mm of precip. Now, it has been well redistributed in open terrain around the Icefields. The whole area is in rough shape. The alpine is stripped to only the immediate lee features throughout the Icefields and Mt Wilson zones. Deep facet wallowing should be expected on alpine ice approaches. Coming new snow for Friday is only likely to hide surface hazards.

Snowpack Summary

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

Weather Summary

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

Thursday at the Icefields

Mainly cloudy. No precip. Alpine High of -1 °C. Moderate to light SW ridgetop winds.

Freezing levels are high. Warm temps. at TL and BTL. 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.
  • Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.

Avalanche Problems

Deep Persistent Slabs

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.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size: 1 - 2.5