South Bulkley
Avalanche Forecast
Published: Apr 28th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Cornices, Loose Wet, Wind Slabs.
Published: Apr 25th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Cornices.
Published: Apr 24th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Cornices.
Published: Apr 23rd, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Wind Slabs.
Published: Apr 22nd, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Wind Slabs, Cornices.
Published: Apr 21st, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Wind Slabs, Cornices.
Published: Apr 20th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Wind Slabs, Cornices.
Published: Apr 19th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs, Cornices.
Published: Apr 18th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs, Loose Wet, Cornices.
Published: Apr 17th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs, Loose Wet, Cornices.
Published: Apr 16th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs.
Published: Apr 15th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs, Loose Wet.
Published: Apr 14th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Wind Slabs, Persistent Slabs.
Published: Apr 13th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Wind Slabs, Persistent Slabs.
Published: Apr 12th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Storm Slabs, Persistent Slabs.
Published: Apr 11th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Storm Slabs, Persistent Slabs.
Published: Apr 10th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Storm Slabs, Persistent Slabs, Cornices.
Published: Apr 9th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs, Cornices, Loose Wet.
Published: Apr 8th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs, Cornices.
Published: Apr 7th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs, Cornices.
Published: Apr 6th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs, Cornices.
Published: Apr 5th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs, Cornices, Loose Wet.
Published: Apr 4th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs, Cornices.
Published: Apr 3rd, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs, Cornices.
Published: Apr 2nd, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs, Cornices.
Published: Apr 1st, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs, Loose Wet.
Published: Mar 31st, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs, Loose Wet.
Published: Mar 30th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs, Wind Slabs.
Published: Mar 29th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs, Wind Slabs.
Published: Mar 28th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs, Wind Slabs.
Published: Mar 27th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs, Wind Slabs.
Published: Mar 26th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs, Wind Slabs.
Published: Mar 25th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs, Wind Slabs.
Published: Mar 24th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs, Wind Slabs.
Published: Mar 24th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs, Wind Slabs.
Published: Mar 23rd, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs, Wind Slabs.
Published: Mar 22nd, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs, Wind Slabs.
Published: Mar 21st, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs, Wind Slabs.
Published: Mar 20th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs, Wind Slabs.
Published: Mar 19th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs, Wind Slabs.
Published: Mar 18th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs.
Published: Mar 17th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs.
Published: Mar 16th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Persistent Slabs.
Published: Mar 15th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Wind Slabs, Persistent Slabs.
Published: Mar 14th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Wind Slabs, Persistent Slabs.
Published: Mar 13th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Wind Slabs, Persistent Slabs.
Published: Mar 12th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Wind Slabs, Persistent Slabs.
Published: Mar 11th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Wind Slabs, Persistent Slabs.
Published: Mar 10th, 2025Avalanche Forecast
Problems: Wind Slabs, Persistent Slabs.
Published: Mar 9th, 2025Uncooked Onion
The story hasn't changed much since the last time we visited this area in early December. The Onion is still a little rough and raw for our tastes, with a variable depth snowpack that averages around 70cm deep at treeline, and lots of early-season hazards poking through. A weak layer that formed in late November near the base of the snowpack is still showing reactivity in our tests (ECT's failing in the easy to moderate range). We didn't get a good chance to check out the alpine due to the foggy and whiteout conditions. We suspect recent winds may have formed some small wind slabs on northerly faces near ridgetops up there. The best riding we found was in sheltered upper-elevation trees on northerly slopes where the snowpack was deepest, and not wind-affected.
AvCan Northwest,
Friday 5th January, 2024 2:20PM
Making the best of a cancelled flight
Today we observed the following:
• P2 was -7*C @ 09:00.
• No to low wind today! The prairies didn’t appear to have experienced much wind overnight either w/ 1cm of fresh stellar sitting on top of the baked wind slab.
• The high pressure bubble around HB held all day, with clear sky’s until ~12:00
• Got a few terrain photos of Simpson creek and surrounding. It’s still looking quite thin just below the entrance.
• Went to ski one of the steeper pitches above the lake (below the cornice) but the top 10-20cm is a very dense wind slab that easily sheared in a modified hand shear test (photo).
• South facing alpine aspects that were heated yesterday now consist of a non-breakable solar crust that is quite thick (present halfway down the couloir like chute above the lake).
It’s been a slice Smithers! Back south for this lad.
shadcollins5,
Tuesday 2nd January, 2024 3:20PM
Test pit above the Y-Glades
ches.sterling,
Tuesday 2nd January, 2024 1:00PM
Mostly a walk to Harvey Mountain Treeline
Hiking trail to treeline, skinnable with occasional downed trees and bare patches, decent was 700m of power plow.
At treeline on south through west aspects, wind and thermal effects were immediately noticeable. Crusts were supportive to skis, however frequent whumpfing was felt and heard. Foot pen to ground, snow depth 20 to 50 cm.
Group did not travel into alpine due to conditions at treeline.
No avalanche activity observed.
Fun hike with skis on.
T. Thornton,
Monday 1st January, 2024 7:10PM
A lemming for the road
The sun came out so the lads went for a stroll.
Morning temps were a bit cooler today, but the wind was still running amok.
We started the day heading up HB mtn. Below the col the wind picked up {~35km/hr}, after waiting it out for a bit, and with no sign of them residing, we decided to head back down. A group of two skied Hendersons couloir this morning. Coverage at the top looked good (photo) but by the time you hit 1200m there didn’t appear to be much snow left.
We went over to take a look at the ice cooler, still super thin up top (photo). And the snow on that side of the ridge has a prolific 1mm rhyme/ ice crust wide spread.
On our ski out a lemming jumped out of the snow next to us to say hello (photo).
shadcollins5,
Sunday 31st December, 2023 5:20PM
The fog continues
Another day chasing the fog around the prairies.
At 10:30 it was 1*C at P2. Low winds most of the day with isolated gusts up to ~25km/hr. Around 12:00 we started to get some pretty big snow flakes; however, this was fleeting and didn’t last more than 10 minutes.
The clouds lifted just long enough for us to walk over to crater lake. The good news is line above the lake is filling in, the bad is the small start zone above the put in is quite cross loaded (photo above, apologizes for the flat light).
After 13:00 there was a drastic change to the snow surface in the alpine & TL. It became very moist and started to glom onto everything (see photo).
Below 1250m there is a pretty fowl {2mm} temp/rain crust.
There is a {2mm} temp/rain crust below
shadcollins5,
Saturday 30th December, 2023 5:00PM
Four lakes access
Babine lake road was in pretty good shape this afternoon.
Canyon creek trail system got very warm today as freezing level indeed did get quite high.
The parking lot for access to four lakes was +2.5*C @ 16:00.
The ski out is holding enough snow, but it got very moist today. Once it sets up navigating out will be a dance with the devil. Might be best to leave this one until the next storm.
shadcollins5,
Friday 29th December, 2023 5:10PM
Meadow meandering
Today we woke to pouring rain in Smithers. We tried to get above the warm weather by going up to the backcountry of Hudson Bay Mountain. We didn't see any new avalanches though the visibility was poor. The surface snow was moist up to 1400m and settling slowly. Our primary concerns are lingering wind slabs near ridge tops. We avoided wind loaded features and skied pow in the trees. The late November surface hoar layer down approximately 60 cm down should not be forgotten about. It has been dormant lately but could be entering a phase of low probability, high consequence. These avalanches are hard to predict.
AvCan Northwest,
Friday 29th December, 2023 4:20PM
Hankin' for a spankin'
Two laps in cabin bowl produced good turns, despite alpine coverage being low. The first line off the top corner of the bowl looked heavily wind loaded so we traversed over to the longer lines in the middle of the bowl.
Snow quality at top of line was cold dry and fast, but halfway down the bowl it became noticeably denser, still made for great skiing and nothing felt too spooky.
In a few isolated spots along the uptrack above the cabin we found weak layers 30cm down, with a crumbly 10cm slab above. Some hand shears broke it off easy, some not at all, very variable. The snow along the uptrack above the cabin was too shalloW to find meaningful layers, on average it was 10-20cm of crumbly layers on facets to ground.
Tops of the cut runs were good coverage and fun skiing, but halfway down the decreasing coverage was difficult to ski in the increasingly dense snow.
Ben.Hallman,
Thursday 28th December, 2023 4:40PM
Windy day in the prairies
Went for a foggy walk through the prairies and skied the upper portion of ozone. The wind overnight filled in large portions of yesterday’s tracks.
The morning start out quite foggy/cloudy with little to no visibility. Around 12:00 the wind picked up {~25km/hr} and started to move the cloud coverage north, opening up small windows of visibility by crater lake. Throughout the rest of the day (till 16:00) Hudson’s bay received moderate South winds. We observed a substantial amount of transport being deposited in ice couloir throughout the day.
As per yesterday most open alpine slopes have been wind touched, but sheltered easterly slopes (specifically between 1580-1450m) are preserving the new snow quite well. Below that the snow kind of turns to stiff Chunder.
shadcollins5,
Thursday 28th December, 2023 4:40PM
Ping-pong ball in the Prairies
Tried to head up to crater lake but turned around due to visibility. Above treeline the dense cloud only provided ~20m of depth in front.
HS 80-90cm @ 1650m
Wind slabs are forming in isolated pockets and small terrain features throughout the lower shoulder. All open south facing slopes have been wind-touched and hold a Velcro crust of DF’s that makes skiing low angle terrain a bit rough. However in sheltered areas the new snow is well preserved and actually skis great.
shadcollins5,
Wednesday 27th December, 2023 6:40PM
Twin falls recon
Trace amounts of snow cover the road on the way up and provide just enough coverage to skin ski up and down (could easily be done in boots).
The ice on the falls is still quite thin and doesn’t look conducive of good climbing yet.
shadcollins5,
Wednesday 27th December, 2023 6:40PM
Miller Creek Mini Golf
We checked out the snowpack in the Miller Creek drainage today. The wind was strong from the south, transporting snow, building cornices and fresh windslabs. We observed one small windslab avalanche that another party triggered from a treeline ridge top feature. The late November surface hoar was down 60 cm and still producing results in snowpack tests.
AvCan Northwest,
Tuesday 26th December, 2023 5:10PM
Joe l’Orsa cabin
Christmas in the Babines! As expected the snowpack is nearly nonexistent, which made for fast and effortless travel to the end of the basin. We were able to drive (awd w/ semi bald winters) up to the summer parking lot and access the trail from there. It took about 3hrs up to the cabin and 2hrs down.
We experienced strong winds both nights and mornings (S gusts up to ~60km/hr). There is about 40cm at the back of the valley, but the surrounding slopes have been mostly wind scorched and are not skiable apart from a few lee pockets that consist of layers of wind slabs (top 10-20cm are reactive).
Attached are a few terrain photos to give insight into the current situation.
shadcollins5,
Tuesday 26th December, 2023 1:50PM
Burdette Cabin/Onion
Rode at the Onion up to Burdette Cabin. Road up was rocky and snow was sparse. The meadows between the Old Onion cabin site and Burdette Cabin were fun with fair coverage, creeks are still wet and some are exposed from lack of cold, but due to lack of cold the snowpack is not completely faceted yet. noticed 3 surface hoar layers in sheltered terrain, and Basal facets forming on rocky terrain. whumping in the snowpack when walking around, again in more sheltered terrain at treeline, probably at the 75cm surface hoar layer. Surface hoar on the surface starting to form from the clear cold night before, and lots of extreme cross loading anywhere sheltered enough to catch snow in the alpine, but most of the snow conditions up high were bare.
Overall fun day but lots of riding hazard like rocks, creeks, and anywhere there was a little Christmas tree farm, it was hard to get traction once you broke into the lower part of the snowpack. The snowpack felt very firm, but I could see if you trigger the right swallow spot at the end of a loaded sheltered feature, possibly ripping out a slab on the 75cm surface hoar layer.
Jim Simonelli,
Sunday 24th December, 2023 11:30AM
Crying at the Onion
The Onion is not in good shape. The winds from last weekend have scoured the alpine down to the rocks, and made at least one small windslab avalanche in steep terrain. We found both surface hoar layers that have been widespread through the region. The lower layer of surface hoar is very reactive in snowpack tests. While walking around we felt numerous whumpfs on this layer.
AvCan Northwest,
Tuesday 12th December, 2023 3:30PM
Hudson Bay Prairie meadows
Was a beautiful day for an easy walk on the prairie, -2 when we started +5 when we ended. HS was 65cm at treeline in a loaded location. Like always lots of wind effect in the alpine on Hudson Bay mountain above crater lake. Ski conditions were silky smooth, and the snowpack was firm, with foot pen at 20cm, and ski pen at 5-8cm. Rain/temp crust at ground.
Jim Simonelli,
Thursday 7th December, 2023 10:10AM
AST 1 Obs - Hudson Bay Area
AST 1 course past 2 days, around treeline, Miller Ck area. Overall, shallow, heavily wind affected snowpack in the Alpine, with surface hoar growth noted at treeline and below. Snowpack depth of 40 cm avg in sheltered treeline areas. Most areas still below threshold depths for avalanches, exception being windloaded pockets in the Alpine. No shortage of early season hazards to wreck your day or season if one is not cautious.
Hyland Backcountry,
Wednesday 29th November, 2023 9:36PM