Avalanche Forecast

Avalanche Forecasts are for use by experienced backcountry travelers in uncontrolled sidecountry and backcountry terrain. These forecasts and conditions do not apply to open, in-bounds terrain at ski resorts, which is subject to avalanche control by local resort ski patrol.

Avalanche Rating

Considerable (3)

Valid Thu Jan 16 5:00pm MST 10 hours ago Until Fri Jan 17 5:00pm MST

Mt. Field, Mt. Stephen, and Mt. Dennis avalanche closure zones are CLOSED on Friday, January 17th.

New windslab development in the alpine down into treeline and possibly below with strong to extreme SW wind on Thursday.

More Detail

To get the complete forecast with additional graphics and details, please view the Parks Canada Zone forecast provided by Parks Canada.

Snowpack Discussion

10 cm new Thursday with strong to extreme SW - W winds created new wind slabs at all elevations in terrain exposed to the wind. At treeline, the mid-pack consists of weak facets, over the breaking down October crust and depth hoar at the bottom. An average of 60-100cm of snow can be found at treeline elevations.

Avalanche Activity

Thursday morning, several size 2 wind-triggered slabs and loose dry avalanches were observed in Little Yoho on Mt. Stephen and Mount Field. Avalanche control on Mt Bosworth produced one size 2.5 sliding on the deep persistent layer. Ski hill snow safety teams were finding fresh slabs 10-30 cm thick reactive to ski cutting in alpine lees.