Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 26th, 2026–Jan 27th, 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

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

Conditions are variable out there with some breakable crust/wind slabs in the alpine. These feel a little spooky and might sound drummy.

The deep basal weak layer is unlikey to get triggered but possible in thinner snowpack areas with rocky features.

Confidence

High

We are confident due to a stable weather pattern.
The snowpack structure is well understood.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been observed or reported in a few days.

Snowpack Summary

We have a mixed bag of conditions out there right now. There are a few cm of recent snow that is sitting on a widespread layer of surface hoar that goes into the Alpine.

In the Alpine, you have either have a hard surface or a 5cm breakable crust/wind slab. Pay attention to this crust as if it is thicker in places, there might be concern to trigger it. This crust feels a little spooky and drummy sounding.

There is a prominent crust on south aspects and a thinner one on the other aspects that goes into the lower alpine elevations. The snowpack is generally well settled with the November crust evident deeper in the snowpack down 150cm and an isolated surface hoar layer down 30-50cm. Both of these layers have been unreactive in tests and there has been no recent avalanche activity on these interfaces. Thin areas where the snowpack is highly variable are places where the deeper layers may be reactive.

Weather Summary

Tuesday will bring a mix of sun, clouds and maybe a flurry. Winds will be around 40km/hr from the West in the Alpine.

https://hpfx.collab.science.gc.ca/~fsg006/productviewer/ab/table/AB_Rockies_Forecast.html

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Avoid shallow, rocky areas where the snowpack transitions from thick to thin.
Avoid steep terrain that is rocky and thin.
Avoid steep terrain, including convex rolls, or areas with a thin, rocky, or variable snowpack.

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.