Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 4th, 2025–Dec 5th, 2025

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

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

Wind slabs are a concern in isolated alpine lee features.

Ski quality has been affected by the recent winds but good riding can still be found on sheltered tree line and below tree line slopes.

Early season hazards are also still a significant concern out there, coverage is very thin in many areas.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been observed or reported in the past few days.

Snowpack Summary

About 3–4 cm of fresh snow was found along the Icefields Parkway.
In sheltered areas, roughly 30 cm of soft snow overlies a supportive snowpack all the way to the ground. We’re currently tracking a mid-November melt-freeze crust located in the mid-pack, though it has not shown any activity in our profiles.
Alpine and exposed treeline slopes are beginning to show signs of wind effect, which is mostly just impacting riding quality at this point.

Weather Summary

Friday
Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries. Precipitation: Trace. Alpine temperature: High -7 °C. Ridge wind southwest: 10-25 km/h.

Saturday

Flurries. Accumulation: 7 cm. Alpine temperature: Low -7 °C, High -5 °C. Ridge wind west: 15 km/h gusting to 50 km/h. Freezing level at valley bottom.

Sunday

Mainly cloudy with scattered flurries. Accumulation: 4 cm. Alpine temperature: Low -12 °C, High -7 °C. Ridge wind southwest: 15 km/h gusting to 60 km/h. Freezing level at valley bottom.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs.
Seek out wind sheltered terrain below treeline where you can avoid wind slabs and find great riding.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.