Lawinenlagebericht

West Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Thu
Hochgebirge
2 · Mässig
Waldgrenze
1 · Gering
Unterhalb
1 · Gering
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Veraltet — dieser Lagebericht ist 2 years ago abgelaufen. Du siehst vergangene Verhältnisse, nicht den aktuellen Bericht.

Kernpunkte

Welcome back for the 2024-2025 NWAC forecast season!

Lingering wind drifted snow could avalanche with a human trigger along ridgelines and around exposed features at higher elevations. If you identify any stiffer, wind-loaded snow, avoid these areas on steep slopes. We've got a deep snowpack at upper elevations for the first day of the forecast season, but down low many obstacles are still exposed or sneakily hidden by thin snow. 

Lawinenprobleme

  • Wind Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    1

    You may find new and recently formed wind slabs at upper elevations. You could trigger an avalanche on one of these deposits. The size of drifts will probably remain shallow and small, limited to the top foot or less of the snowpack.

    Search for thicker, pillowlike deposits on the leeward side of ridgelines and around other exposed features like rocks or in gullies. Identify clues like long, shooting cracks from your weight on the snow. Avoid these slabs on steep slopes. Your largest concern is triggering one of these avalanches in high consequence terrain, where you could get carried through trees, off a cliff, or buried deep in a gully. 

    Example photo: Wind slabs like this could fail on steep slopes at upper elevations with a human trigger. Mountain Loop Highway.

    Photo: Irene Henninger

Avalanche Discussion

Despite the time of year, if the sun shines intensely then wet loose avalanche activity could occur on steep, sunny slopes. Avoid travel on or beneath these steep slopes if the sun is out. 

A lot of uncertainty exists, especially at upper elevations, due to limited information. I traveled to 5000ft in the Highway 2 corridor and found a right-side up snowpack with minimal instabilities on Monday (observation). There was evidence of old wind loading on the ridgeline where I traveled. We were in a cloud and temperatures were flirting with the freezing line. Small rollerballs ran on steep slopes in the newly dampened low density surface snow. Lower elevations still harbor obstacles such as exposed or subtly buried stumps, rocks and creeks.

It's early season and there are a lot of unknowns so travel carefully in the backcountry. This is a good time to get back into your winter mindset by paying attention to the snowpack, thinking about avalanches, and brushing up on your avalanche rescue skills. 

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