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Avalanche Forecast

Dec 18th, 2023–Dec 19th, 2023
Alpine
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low
Alpine
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate
Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be low
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low
Alpine
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate
Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be low
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low

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

The snowpack is weak, facetted, dry, and cold at all elevations, throughout the region. It's not a rider's snowpack; maybe not until after Christmas, or later. If you find the snowpack supportive, you are on a slab over weak facets, not a good combo.

Ice Climbers: What's over your head? Watch for isolated slabs, loose dry, and sluffs.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Few small wind slabs observed in the last few days across the region. These slabs were found near ridge tops on northerly aspects and did not step down to deeper instabilities.

Snowpack Summary

The snowpack is 50-80cm deep and is weak and facetted. A surface hoar layer is down 15-20cm below 2300m. Strong winds have stripped exposed alpine and tree-line terrain and created wind-slabs in cross-loaded and lee features. Windward slopes are either stripped of snow or the snow left has been pressed into sastrugi.

Weather Summary

The Mountain Weather Forecast is available at Avalanche Canada https://avalanche.ca/weather/forecast

MondayCloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries; only a trace. Alpine High -3 °C. Ridge wind light southwest. Freezing level: 1700 metres.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid areas where the snow feels stiff and/or slabby.
  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.

Avalanche Problems

Wind Slabs

Strong to extreme southwesterly winds created a few wind slab layers over the last week. Wind slab natural activity seems to have petered off in the last 48 hours.

Aspects: North, North East, East, North West.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size: 1 - 2

Deep Persistent Slabs

No natural activity observed. Keep this on your radar as triggering remains possible with the shallow nature of the overall snowpack. This problem is of most concern in wind loaded alpine features, specifically below ridge tops.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood: Unlikely

Expected Size: 1 - 3