Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 13th, 2026–Apr 14th, 2026

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Spring Conditions

Below Treeline

Spring Conditions

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Spring Conditions

Below Treeline

Spring Conditions

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Treeline

Spring Conditions

Below Treeline

Spring Conditions

Regions

Jasper, Brazeau, Churchill, Cirrus-Wilson, Fryatt, Icefields, Maligne, Marmot, Miette Lake, Pyramid.

Take a moment to read about spring conditions ratings. Cool weather over the next few days will improve stability as snow surfaces re-freeze.

Fragile cornices are heavy and may collapse without warning, triggering subsequent slab avalanches. Avoid travel below cornices.

Confidence

Avalanche Summary

Cornices are ripe and fragile. On Monday, our field team observed a new cornice failure near Snowdome. Saturday's patrol along the Icefields and the Maligne range noted cornice failures of which some are triggering slabs on the slopes below.

A size 3 persistent slab was also observed this Friday on Sunwapta peak, occurring in the alpine and treeline on a West aspect.

Snowpack Summary

A freeze-thaw cycle has occurred at all elevations on solar aspects. Dry or wind-affected surfaces persist on high north-facing alpine terrain. Below 2300m, multiple melt-freeze crusts are layered in the snowpack.

The January 24th layer is buried 80–120 cm deep and remains a lingering concern in the alpine. The lower snowpack is generally well consolidated in deeper areas, while shallow areas remain weaker and more faceted.

Weather Summary

Tuesday

Cloudy skies and flurries starting Monday night will deposit up to 13cm in alpine areas. Freezing levels will descend to 1700m. Alpine high -4°C. Southwest winds will be 20km/h with gusts up to 50km/h.

Wednesday

Freezing levels continue to descend to valley bottom. Expect an overnight low of -11°C with alpine temperatures reaching a high of -5°C. West winds will be light with gusts to 45km/h. Potential for convective weather.

Thursday

A mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries adding a trace of new snow. Low -13°C and warming to -5°C. Freezing level at valley bottom. Light Northwest wind.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Use extra caution around cornices: they are large, fragile, and can trigger slabs on slopes below.
A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling, and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.

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.

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.