Kananaskis Records Its First Avalanche of the Season

Kananaskis has recorded its first avalanche involvement of the season. A small wind slab triggered near Highwood Ridge on November 15 sent two skiers for a short ride but, thankfully, everyone walked away uninjured.

The First Slide of the Season

According to the public report, a group of three skiers was climbing toward the top of a slope on Highwood Ridge late Saturday morning when the first person stepped onto a thin, rocky patch of snow. That was enough to crack the snowpack and start a small avalanche.

The slide ran all the way to the ground, partly because the early season snow in this area is still very thin and weak in spots. This is the kind of setup that can make even a small amount of new or wind-blown snow unstable.

Two of the three riders were caught. The first was swept about 75 metres and managed to move out of the path. The second was carried for about five metres before riding out. None were buried and no one was hurt.

Kananaskis Mountain Rescue Confirms the Incident

Kananaskis Mountain Rescue followed up with an Instagram post confirming the slide, noting it was the first reported involvement of the winter near Highwood Pass and Pocaterra Ridge. They pointed out that last week’s rain and warm temperatures created crust layers that could linger as problem areas throughout the season.

They also thanked the group for reporting the avalanche on the Mountain Information Network (MIN), which allows other skiers, riders, and hikers to adjust their plans based on real observations.

Why It Matters

Avalanches like this are fairly typical early in the season because the snowpack is still thin and fragile. A small amount of new or wind-blown snow can sit on top of weaker layers underneath, making it easy to break loose.

The photos in the report show the slide path clearly, along with the debris it left behind. It is a good reminder that even a smaller avalanche can knock someone off their feet or bury them, especially when the base layer of snow is this unstable.

Anyone heading into Highwood Pass or other parts of Kananaskis right now should expect thin snow, hard crusts from recent warm weather, and sections where the snow is easily disturbed by wind. Kananaskis Mountain Rescue’s main message is that sharing reports like this helps everyone make safer decisions as the winter season gets started.