Mount Athabasca North Glacier

Quick report

Weather

sunny, warm

Ride Type

alpineSlopes, steepSlopes

Riding Quality

good

Snow Conditions

crusty, deepPowder, hard, powder, windAffected

Avalanche Conditions

avalancheConditionSound

The Jasper field team circumnavigated the nunatak below the north face of Mount Athabasca, navigating through crevassed terrain and steep alpine slopes. Travel below 2500 m was supportive and spring-like. Above this elevation, snow remained cool with 10–20 cm of soft snow requiring moderate to heavy trailbreaking. Trailbreaking conditions eventually transitioned to wind-affected snow where we observed isolated cracking and whumphing on wind-loaded features. Continued wind transport was visible along ridgetops throughout the day. Glacier coverage varied significantly, ranging from 85 cm to over 300 cm depending on terrain features. No significant new avalanche activity was observed in the surrounding alpine terrain or along the Icefields Parkway.