Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 23rd, 2025–Apr 24th, 2025

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Treeline

Below Threshold.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Treeline

Below Threshold.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Below Threshold.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Regions

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

Low doesn't mean no avalanches. Watch for isolated wind slabs in the high alpine and thin to thick snowpack areas where triggering the deep persistent slab is more likely.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No recent observation of been noted.

Snowpack Summary

In sheltered northerly slopes above 2500m, 5-20 cm of soft snow exists. Isolated wind slabs exist at all aspects in the alpine.

The upper snowpack at treeline and below is a series of crusts. The lower snowpack is dry, faceted, and weak.

High north aspects offer the best spring riding conditions, though the snowpack remains susceptible to triggering deeper, unstable layers.

Weather Summary

Thursday

Sunny with cloudy periods.

Precipitation: Nil.

Alpine temperature: High 2 °C.

Ridge wind light to 20 km/h.

Freezing level: 2500 metres.

Friday

Sunny with cloudy periods.

Precipitation: Nil.

Alpine temperature: Low -2 °C, High 4 °C.

Ridge wind southwest: 10-20 km/h.

Freezing level: 2700 metres.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Avoid shallow, rocky areas where the snowpack transitions from thick to thin.

Problems

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.