Avalanche forecast

Cariboos

Feb 16 – 17, 2026Avalanche Canada
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Archived · expired 7 months ago

Avalanche danger

Wed
Thu
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
3 · Considerable
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Highlights

Several weak layers in the upper snowpack have resulted in widespread recent avalanche activity

Start with small, low-consequence terrain before committing to larger features

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1.5–3

    Two persistent weak layers of surface hoar/ facets/ crust from Feb 7th and Jan 26th are buried in the upper meter of the snowpack and remain a significant concern. These layers continue to show reacivity at all elevations.

  • Storm Slabs

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

    Recent storm snow is overlying a new surface hoar layer in may areas. Southwest winds likely built thicker and more reactive slabs on lee slopes below ridgetops. Slabs in motion could step down to deeper persistent layers.

Confidence

Moderate

  • We are uncertain due to a highly variable snowpack.

Avalanche Summary

A natural avalanche cycle was observed on Saturday up to size 3. Numerous explosive, skier-triggered and remote-triggered avalanches also occurred in the region, generally in the size 1 to 2 range.

Many of these avalanches failed on, or stepped down to, persistent weak layers. Several also occurred at lower elevations below treeline on relatively benign slopes.

Snowpack Summary

There is a lot of variability in the region, but three prevalent surface hoar layers stand out:

10 to 40 cm of recent storm snow is covering a layer of surface hoar or sun crust buried on Feb 13th. This new weak layer may make storm slabs more reactive and resistant to bonding than usual.

Below that, 20 to 40 cm of older snow is covering a second reactive layer of surface hoar or a crust from Feb 7th.

Lastly, the late January layer of surface hoar/facets/crust is buried 50 to 100+ cm deep.

All of these layers have been reactive in the region recently.

The remaining snowpack has no layers of concern

Weather Summary

Sunday Night

Partly cloudy. 0 to 2 cm of snow. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.

Monday

Mostly cloudy. 0 to 5 cm of snow. 30 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.

Tuesday

Mostly cloudy. 5 to 15 cm of snow. 20 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.

Wednesday

Mostly cloudy. 5 to 10 cm of snow. 10 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -11 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Remote triggering is a concern; avoid terrain where triggering overhead slopes is possible.
  • Approach steep and open slopes at and below treeline cautiously, as buried surface hoar may exist.
  • Be especially cautious as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
  • Storm slabs in motion may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.

Regions covered