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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 9th, 2026–Jan 10th, 2026

Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Regions

North Rockies, East Kakwa, Tumbler.

Strong wind continues to reshape the snowpack. Be cautious anywhere that looks extra deep or where the wind is actively moving snow.

A persistent layer remains a concern in this region.

Confidence

Moderate

  • Recent weather patterns have resulted in a high degree of snowpack variability within the region.
  • Uncertainty is due to the fact that persistent slabs are particularly difficult to forecast.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been reported but observations have been limited. If you head into the backcountry, consider sharing your observations with the Mountain Information Network.

Snowpack Summary

Strong westerly wind has blown 25 cm of recent snow into slabs in leeward alpine and treeline terrain.

A crust from mid December, surrounded by weak facets, is buried 50 to 170 cm deep, depending on aspect and wind loading. Just over a week ago, a large natural avalanche cycle ran on this layer.

In thin snowpack areas, faceted grains or depth hoar may exist at the base of the snowpack.

Weather Summary

Friday Night
Partly cloudy. 2 cm of snow. 90 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.

Saturday
Mix of sun and clouds. 70 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.

Sunday
Mix of sun and clouds. 1 cm of snow. 70 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1800 m.

Monday
Mostly sunny. 80 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 2200 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
  • Avoid steep, rocky, and wind-affected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.

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.

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.