Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 27th, 2025–Jan 28th, 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

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

One more warm day should keep you thinking about your exposure to steep terrain that is facing into the sun.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Numerous solar triggered Loose Wet avalanches, initiating in steep south to west facing features in the alpine, were observed in the Icefields area on Jan 27. Several of these triggered slabs that ran on a deeper crust and were up to size 2.

Two size two Deep Persistent Slab avalanches, in previously uncontrolled alpine terrain, were triggered by explosives at Marmot Basin on Jan 26.

Snowpack Summary

A variety of surface conditions exist depending on location, including sun crusts, hard wind slabs, and soft faceted snow. These overlie a generally weak and faceted mid-pack. At the bottom of the snowpack are the early season crusts, which are faceting and surrounded by large depth hoar. The snowpack is 70-130 cm in depth at tree line, and thins quickly below.

Weather Summary

Tuesday

A mix of sun and cloud.

Precipitation: Nil.

Alpine temperature: High -1 °C.

Ridge wind west: 15-30 km/h.

Freezing level: 1900 metres.

Wednesday

Mainly cloudy.

Precipitation: Nil.

Alpine temperature: Low -12 °C, High -7 °C.

Ridge wind southwest: 20 km/h.

Freezing level at valley bottom.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Limit exposure to steep, sun exposed slopes, especially when the solar radiation is strong.
Be mindful that deep instabilities are still present in the snowpack.

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.

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.