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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 12th, 2025–Dec 13th, 2025

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

Crowsnest North, Crowsnest South.

Although a supportive surface crust reduces the likelihood of triggering an avalanche, use caution anywhere the crust does not exist or is thin and weak.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No avalanche activity has been reported since temperatures have cooled below freezing and a surface crust has formed.

A few large (size 2 to 3) avalanches occurred on Tuesday and Wednesday. These avalanches were initiated by very large triggers, such as explosives or snowcats, and failed approximately 50 to 150 cm deep on the November crust described in the snowpack summary.

Snowpack Summary

Trace amounts of new snow now overlie a widespread melt–freeze crust that is likely present on all aspects and elevations, though some high-alpine terrain may remain crust-free.

A mid-November crust is buried 50 to 100 cm deep. Beneath it, the snowpack contains several additional crust layers, and in some locations, a weak, sugary facet layer exists near the ground.

At treeline, snow depths range from roughly 50 to 100 cm, tapering off quickly at lower elevations.

Weather Summary

Friday Night
Cloudy. 1 cm of snow. 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.

Saturday
Cloudy. 1 cm of snow. 60 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.

Sunday
Mix of sun and clouds. 1 to 3 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 70 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 2000 m.

Monday
Mostly cloudy. 2 to 5 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 2000 m.



More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • A hard crust on the snow surface will help strengthen the snowpack, but may cause tough travel conditions.
  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
  • 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.

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.