Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 3rd, 2026–Apr 4th, 2026

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, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

South Coast Inland, Birkenhead, Duffey, South Chilcotin, Stein, Taseko.

Sheltered, shaded terrain still holds the best riding; however, large cornices above are a concern.

Even brief periods of strong sun can begin to destabilize the snowpack.

Confidence

High

We have a good understanding of the snowpack structure and confidence in the weather forecast.

Avalanche Summary

On Thursday, a few small natural dry loose avalanches occurred.

On Wednesday, a large cornice fall triggered a large avalanche on the slope below. The debris is reported to have run far.

On Monday, north of Pemberton, small loose dry, rider triggered avalanches and sluffs were reported in steep terrain.

If you are heading into the backcountry, consider sharing your observations and posting a MIN.

Snowpack Summary

New snow could give a light refresh to the upper snowpack in sheltered areas.

Expect to find 30 to 50 cm of settling snow over a thick and hard crust below about 1900 m, and old wind-affected snow at upper elevations.

Steep slopes that usually face the sun may have a thin breakable crust on or near the surface.

Two older crusts (1-1.5 m deep), buried in early February and March previously produced large to very large avalanches, but they seem to have gained strength and are not a current concern.

Weather Summary

Friday Night
Partly cloudy. 1 cm of snow. 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.

Saturday
Mostly cloudy. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.

Sunday
Mix of sun and clouds. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 2200 m.

Monday
Mix of sun and clouds. 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 3 °C. Freezing level 2500 m.

Warming weather will change the game, click this link for great terrain and travel advice.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
Be alert to conditions that change with elevation, aspect, and exposure to wind.
Avoid terrain traps such as gullies and cliffs where the consequence of any avalanche could be serious.
The more the snowpack warms up and weakens, the more conservative your terrain selection should be.

Problems

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.

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.