Jasper
Parker’s Ridge
Colder day on Parker’s ridge, lots of moderate to strong westerly winds and some new snow(up to 15cm on lee aspects at 2300m) by 11:30 with intermittent snow squalls. This continued throughout the day. Wind slabs were starting to form on NE aspects near ridge top. Northern aspects still lack a strong crust.
Snow to the road on Parker’s, almost to the road on Athabasca/ Boundary. Very dry looking all the way to the toe of the sask glacier. Silverhorn still looks pretty icy and skyladder is non-existent.
jackvanlierop3807,
Thursday 8th May, 2025 10:30AM
Avalanche Forecast
Published: May 4th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Published: May 4th, 2025North Twin
On our wayout the Saskatchewan glacier vally was 80 percent walking. No freeze below 2400m. Windward slopes on the Columbia icefield are quite shallow.
Snow depths:
Top of Kitchener 10cm
Top of Snowdome 10 cm
Kitchener to Snowdome 150cm
Top of Studfields 0 cm
Sw rib down North Twin towards South Twin 0 to 100cm
Standard route towards the base of Twins 240cm plus
Camping site at top of Saskatchewan glacier at 2500m 280cm plus
Toe of Saskatchewan glacier 0 plus.
Notable creveases: top of north Twin. Across the east side of main peak of Studfields.
We tryed to go from North Twin to South twin but found very thin snow pack on the icy. Would recommend coming into South Twin low. South twin was quite icy.
Good freezes above 2700m the last 4 nights. Breakable crust on steep south aspects and wind affect everywhere else. Easy travel only used ski crampons for 15minutes.
We avoided the Athabasca headwall do to low snowpack and weak freezes and general creveasse risk. Quite a few parties taking the Saskatchewan approach.
Overall many areas with thin snow. I would always skin with the rope on and avoid unroped travel once surface crusts breakdown and snow becomes soft.
No new avalanches up high but numerous recent wet loose and wet slabs avalanches visible down the 93 N.
wardsbd,
Saturday 3rd May, 2025 1:00PM
Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Loose Wet, Deep Persistent Slabs, Cornices.
Published: May 1st, 2025Parker’s ridge
Got some pow high up 2600m but mainly crusty icy
3rd tap from the elbow and it broke (very hard to shift, no propagation)
3-5cm top crust broke easily
thomasbiddlecombe,
Wednesday 30th April, 2025 10:40AM
Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Loose Wet, Deep Persistent Slabs.
Published: Apr 29th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Loose Wet, Deep Persistent Slabs.
Published: Apr 29th, 2025Half a Mike Wynn Circuit
Attempted the Mike Wynn Circuit April 29th. Poor overnight refreeze to about 2200-2300m so the tree ascent was heinous. Above 2300m the surface crust was just supportive to skis and travel improved the higher we climbed. Around the 2400-2500m elevation the crust was supportive but mid pack was still moist.
The day was a mixed bag of weather with poor visibility up high with strong gusts and convective flurries. We turned around at the final slope to the col due to lack of visibility and the potential for building windslabs in the alpine. Lots of old natural avalanche activity in the area - even some natural logging done by a much larger avalanche, pouring over the first moraine feature.
Beautiful terrain - just save it for a good refreeze and clear skies!
colawinter,
Tuesday 29th April, 2025 9:00AM
Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Loose Wet, Deep Persistent Slabs.
Published: Apr 28th, 2025Boundary Glacier
We aimed to ski the Boundary Glacier Circuit this morning. As we reached Boundary Lake, we experienced multiple whumpfs in the basal facets with propagation (visible wave and shooting cracks) up to 100 m. These continued as we ascended towards the toe of the glacier at 2300 m. At that location, the snowpack consisted of 3 cm of new snow over 5 cm of poorly crystallized melt freeze crust. Below this, the snow was isothermal moist facets. Foot penetration was to ground or your crotch, whichever happens first! Given the solar facing overhead hazard when climbing the Boundary Glacier, we listened to what the mountains were saying and turned tail. Observed a new- looking deep slab out of extreme terrain high on the east face of Mt Stutfield and a loose snow avalanche in motion on the same feature while driving home.
Craig Hartmetz,
Monday 28th April, 2025 7:00AM
Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Loose Wet, Deep Persistent Slabs.
Published: Apr 27th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Loose Wet, Wind Slabs, Deep Persistent Slabs.
Published: Apr 26th, 2025Mt Wilson
« Skied » Wilson from the north on April 26th
No snow until above the water fall /cliff band you have to bypass
Above that good travel in the morning isothermal snow in the evening
The creek can still be crossed back and forth on some avalanche debris up high but some of the bridges are becoming thin and worrisome in the afternoon
Lot’s of dead fall in the forest down low made for hard bushwhacking
Cornices on the ridge can be easily bypassed on climbers right by staying close to rocks.
No open crevasses to navigate, probed between 130 and 250.
Crusty snow on the glacier
MATHURIN,
Saturday 26th April, 2025 9:00AM
Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Loose Wet, Wind Slabs, Deep Persistent Slabs.
Published: Apr 25th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Loose Wet, Wind Slabs, Deep Persistent Slabs.
Published: Apr 25th, 2025