Conditions Report for Icefields Parkway

Icefields Parkway

Parks Canada

It is Spring in the Mountains. This means the lower elevation snowpack is melting out rapidly with warm days and rain below 2400m. The snow on the glaciers below 2400m is decreasing and snow bridges are becoming weak. Crevasses are opening up and are a major threat to travel currently.

Above 2400m it is still winter on the North aspects. The snow is dry and still accumulating. This means there is still potential for avalanches. Recent reports from the public have indicated that there have been reactive windslabs in the high alpine on North aspects. Keep this in mind as you head into the mountains, it can be easy to discount changing conditions during the Spring Skiing Season.

Weather
We have entered into a spring diurnal cycle with good overnight freezes over the last 7 days making travel easy and quick. Above 2400m it has still been snowing and there is cold snow to be skied.

Hazards
There is still potential for dry loose and wind slab avalanches above 2400m. Lots of cornices are still hanging around and they are loosing their strength with cold nights and high solar input during the day. Wet loose avalanches are still a problem during the heat of the day on solar aspects. Crevasses are opening up and snow bridges are loosing their strength as well. Serac fall is also a big concern at this time of the year. Rockfall is also an issue in lower elevations and solar aspects. And watch out for bears.

There is still lots of great skiing to be had if you get up high and it is a great time of the year to approach bigger objects. However, get up early & get back early! Be aware of changing conditions and keep an eye out for overhead hazard, it is still lurking.

Source: Mountain Conditions