Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 31st, 2025–Apr 1st, 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, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Microwave-Sinclair, North Bulkley, South Bulkley, South Bulkley, South Bulkley, Telkwa.

Avoid slopes that have corniced ridgelines. Cornice failure may trigger large, persistent slab avalanches on the slope below.

Where a supportive crust exists, avalanches are unlikely.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Monday, a 2.5 persistent slab avalanche was seen at Hudson Bay Mountain on an alpine (northeast) slope. It likely failed on Sunday from a cornice fall.

Higher north-facing slopes are still suspect for triggering persistent slabs, especially with a large load or in a thin to thick snowpack area. Where a thick, supportive surface crust is found, we expect that triggering avalanches on buried weak layers is unlikely.

Snowpack Summary

Wind has modified surfaces and formed slabs in lee features. A crust is found up to 1500 m on all aspects and higher on solar slopes.

A layer of surface hoar is now buried 30 to 60 cm deep, it persists at alpine elevations and on 'polar aspects' (slopes protected from the sun).

Another layer of facets, surface hoar and/or a crust buried in mid-February is 60 to 100 cm below the snow surface and has been reactive in snowpack tests.

Deeper in the snowpack, a weak layer of facets and a crust from early December can be found. This layer appears to be dormant but is still worth keeping in mind in thin snowpack areas in the alpine.

Weather Summary

Monday Night

Mix of clear and cloud. 10 to 25 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level valley bottom.

Tuesday

Mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries. 15 to 30 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level 1000 m.

Wednesday

Mix of sun and cloud. 15 to 30 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 1200 m.

Thursday

Mix of sun and cloud. 10 to 25 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 1700 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Avalanche activity is unlikely when a thick melt-freeze crust is present on the snow surface.
Seek out sheltered terrain where new snow hasn't been affected by wind.
Use extra caution around cornices: they are large, fragile, and can trigger slabs on slopes below.
Avoid sun-exposed slopes, especially if the snow surface is moist or wet.

Problems

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.

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.