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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 17th, 2026–Jan 18th, 2026

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

South Rockies, East Purcell, Bull, Elkford East, Elkford West.

There may still be wind slabs in high alpine terrain.

Consider what is below you before committing to a line.

Confidence

High

  • Confidence is due to a stable weather pattern; little change is expected for several days.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been reported on Friday or Saturday.

On Wednesday, there were a few large (size 2.5) solar triggered wind slabs from steep south-facing alpine terrain north of Elkford. Near Invermere, there were also several natural wet loose avalanches, up to size 2.

On Tuesday, there was a widespread avalanche cycle with many small and large avalanches.

Snowpack Summary

A crust extends up to around treeline. High alpine and north facing treeline areas may still be crust free. Surface hoar is growing in most areas, but its not an issue until buried.

Around 40 to 60 cm of snow overlies a layer of surface hoar in wind-sheltered terrain, and a sun crust on steep south-facing slopes. This layer is dormant and hasn't produced any avalanches recently. In areas with a thick crust it is unlikely to be a problem again.

A thick melt-freeze crust with faceted snow can be found near the ground in shallow snowpack areas. This layer is dormant but may return with a significant change in the weather.

Weather Summary

Saturday Night
Clear skies. 10 km/h variable direction ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.


Sunday
Mostly sunny. 10 to 20 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.


Monday
Sunny. 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.

Tuesday
Sunny. 30 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avalanche activity is unlikely when a thick melt-freeze crust is present on the snow surface.
  • This is a good time for exploring terrain.
  • Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs.

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.