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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 11th, 2026–Jan 12th, 2026

Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

North Rockies, East Kakwa, Tumbler.

New snow and wind will continue to build fresh and reactive wind slabs. If triggered, wind slabs have potential to step down to a deeper weak layer.

Confidence

Moderate

  • Uncertainty is due to the fact that persistent slabs are particularly difficult to forecast.
  • Uncertainty is due to the limited number of field observations.

Avalanche Summary

On Saturday this MIN report from Bullmoose described fresh wind slab development, whumphing, reactive cornices and evidence of a widespread natural wind slab avalanche cycle suspected to have run sometime midweek.

If you head into the backcountry, consider sharing your observations with the Mountain Information Network.

Snowpack Summary

As small amounts of new snow arrive with wind, wind slabs continue to build in leeward alpine and treeline terrain.

A crust from mid December, surrounded by weak facets, is buried 50 to 170 cm deep, depending on aspect and wind loading. Over a week ago, a large natural avalanche cycle ran on this layer.

In thin snowpack areas, faceted grains or depth hoar may exist at the base of the snowpack. Snowpack depths are well above average for this time of year, around 2 m at treeline.

Weather Summary

Sunday Night
Mostly cloudy. 5 to 10 cm of snow. 70 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.

Monday
Mostly cloudy. 5 to 8 cm of snow. 80 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.

Tuesday
Mostly cloudy. 60 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 1900 m.

Wednesday
Mix of sun and clouds. 80 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 2 °C. Freezing level 2400 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
  • Avoid steep, rocky, and wind-affected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.
  • If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.

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.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.