Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 31st, 2024–Jan 2nd, 2025

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.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Kananaskis, Bow Valley, Highwood Pass, North 40, Spray - KLakes.

Out with the 2024 snowpack and in with the hopefully snowy 2025! Happy new years! Some good skiing can be found in alpine areas on sheltered northern aspects. If you keep your expectations lower you wont be disappointed!

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

A few loose dry avalanches up to sz 1 out of step unskiable terrain.

Snowpack Summary

Light winds and subtle inputs of snow over the past few days are adding up to 10-12cm of snow. This snow has seen very little effect from winds which have generally been light over the past few days. This new snow is hiding previous windslabs so be curious about this problem in the snowpack as you continue to gain elevation. Watch for these at cols and around ridgelines at treeline and above.

The Dec 7th temperature crust can be found on solar aspects up to 2500m down 30-50cm and the weak basal facets that once were the November and October crusts are close to ground. Thin areas where the basal layers could be triggered should be treated with caution.

Any avalanche in the upper snowpack will likely involve the entire snowpack and scrub down to ground so keep this in mind as you travel.

Weather Summary

Cooler Temperatures coming. See table.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

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.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.