Avalanche forecast

South Rockies

Dec 21 – 22, 2025Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Wed
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Keep your guard up at all elevations. Wind slab formation has been extensive and could extend into openings below treeline.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Up to 70 cm of recent snow and strong southwest winds continue to form wind slabs reactive to human triggers.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    2–3

    Triggering deeper weak layers is most likely to occur in isolated alpine areas where a supportive crust below the recent snow is not present.

Confidence

Moderate

  • Uncertainty is due to the limited number of field observations.

Avalanche Summary

On Friday, numerous explosive triggered persistent slab avalanches up to size 3 were reported in the alpine. They were failing on a crust down around 100 cm.

Several human and explosive triggered wind slabs up to size 2 were also reported on southeasterly aspects at treeline and above.

Snowpack Summary

5 to 10 cm of new snow brings recent snow totals to 50 to 70 cm. The recent snow and strong west winds have formed slabs overlying a 5 to 15 cm thick crust.

Above 1800 m, a prominent crust is down 100 to 150 cm deep.

Below 1800 m, the mid/lower snowpack is moist to the ground in most areas.

Weather Summary

Saturday Night
Cloudy with isolated flurries. 3 to 10 cm of snow. 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C. Freezing level valley bottom.

Sunday
Mostly cloudy. 35 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C. Freezing level valley bottom.

Monday
Mostly cloudy. 35 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C. Freezing level valley bottom.

Tuesday
Mostly cloudy. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level valley bottom.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Make conservative terrain choices and avoid overhead hazard.
  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
  • Keep your guard up at all elevations. Wind slab formation has been extensive and could extend into openings below treeline.
  • If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.

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