Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 3rd, 2024–Dec 4th, 2024

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.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

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

Ice climbers watch for small wet avalanches due to the warm temperatures. Even small avalanches can be a problem in or above terrain traps.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Old windslab avalanches were observed on Tuesday at ridge top on a flight from Tangle Ridge to Jasper. A field team in the Bald Hills ski cut released a size 1 windslab avalanche at ridgetop.

Snowpack Summary

There is likely wet surface snow to around 2200m due to above freezing temperatures. The Nov 8 crust and facets are down 20-30 cm at tree-line and below. We have also found surface hoar (6mm) down 60cm at 2500m also burried on Nov 8th. The October crust is widespread and is found near the base of the snow pack and has facets above and below. Snow depth is roughly 70 cm at treeline and tapers rapidly below.

Weather Summary

Wednesday

Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries.

Precipitation: Trace.

Alpine temperature: High 0 °C.

Ridge wind west: 10-20 km/h.

Freezing level: 2200 metres.

Thursday

Mainly cloudy.

Precipitation: Nil.

Alpine temperature: Low -6 °C, High -1 °C.

Ridge wind west: 15 km/h.

Freezing level: 1900 metres.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Be careful as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
Seek out sheltered terrain where new snow hasn't been affected by wind.
Small avalanches may cause climbers to fall or bury belayers and gear.

Problems

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.

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.