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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 17th, 2025–Apr 18th, 2025

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

Regions

Banff Yoho Kootenay, Banff, East Side 93N, Kootenay, Lake Louise, LLSA, Sunshine, West Side 93N, Field.

The danger rating reflects the highest expected for the day, driven by solar input and freezing levels rising to 2500m in the afternoon. Start and finish early.

The lower snowpack remains weak compared to deeper western areas such as Little Yoho.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

A few natural, persistent slab avalanches to size 2.5 occurred on Pilot Mountain on Thursday (trigger unknown). These were on high, North-facing terrain, showing that avalanches are still possible on the deeper layers. No other avalanches were reported on Thursday.

Snowpack Summary

Surface crusts exist on solar aspects to ridgetop and on all aspects at treeline and below. On northerly aspects, 10-30 cm dry snow with isolated wind slabs in lee areas of the alpine. The March 27 crust is 30-70 cm deep and extends to about 2500m. Below the settled midpack, there are still facets and depth hoar to the ground.

Weather Summary

Expect 2500m+ freezing levels on Friday with plenty of sun and light winds. See image below for more details.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Start your day early and be out of avalanche terrain during the heat of the day.

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.