Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Jasper.
Small pockets of good skiing can still be found in sheltered terrain at tree line.
Be on the lookout for reverse loading from Northerly wind.
Weather Forecast
Thursday: Sunny with cloudy periods. No precipitation. Alpine high -10. NW wind 10-25km/h. Freezing level valley bottom.
Friday: Mix of sun and cloud. No Precipitation. Alpine high - 10. NW- Wind West 10km/h. Freezing level valley bottom.
Saturday: A mix of sun and cloud. No precipitation. Alpine high - 10. Southwest wind 10km/h.
Snowpack Summary
10-15 cm of recent snow has been redistributed by recent Northerly winds causing reverse loading in many locations with wind slab development in Alpine and exposed terrain at tree line. A weak temperature crust can be found up to 1900m on all aspects with a sun crust on solar aspects up to 2800m. Basal facets & depth hoar present at throughout area
Avalanche Summary
A few Natural size 1 dry loose avalanches have been observed on the Icefields Parkway over the past 2 days. All occurred in steep terrain with unsupported features.
Confidence
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind slabs sit over a variety of surfaces including old wind slabs, temperature crust and sun crust making reactivity variable. Be extra cautious in areas where wind slabs sits over a hard layer.
- Watch hollow sounds on unsupported windslabs.
- Be careful with reverse loaded pockets of wind slab at ridgeline.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2
Loose Dry
This problem is specific to steep, wind protected terrain. Expect more dry loose activity in areas where recent snowfall sits over a hard surface.
- Avoid ice climbs exposed to steep rocky terrain on solar aspects during the middle of the day.
- Be careful of loose dry sluffing in steep, confined or exposed terrain.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 1