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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 14th, 2025–Feb 18th, 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

Kananaskis, Bow Valley, Highwood Pass, North 40, Spray - KLakes.

Skier triggerable windslabs were encountered by forecasters in both treeline and alpine features on Friday. While these slabs are not widespread, be thinking about these problems as you travel and avoid thin, or unsupported areas.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been reported.

Snowpack Summary

A few cms of new snow fell but not enought to change the danger or improve the skiing! As you transition out of the Treeline and into the Alpine windslabs become more common. These slabs are 5-40cm thick and reactive to a skiers weight especially in thinner or unsupported terrain. Forecasters noted numerous areas of "Drummy" feeling snow wherein a windslab was overlying softer snow from earlier in the week. As you encounter this type of feeling, back off the terrain and also look around and see what terrain you are connected to. Due to the stiffness of the overlying slab, the potential for failures to propagate is a concern. Below treeline, the snow snowpack is holding in there, but mainly consists off facets and in some places you can sink right to ground. Hope for more snow in the second half of this winter!!!

Weather Summary

See table. Light flurries throughout the weekend.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Carefully evaluate big and steep terrain features before committing to them.
  • Avoid steep terrain, including convex rolls, or areas with a thin, rocky, or variable snowpack.
  • Be careful as you transition into wind-affected terrain.

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.