Lawinenlagebericht

Mt Hood

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Mon
Hochgebirge
3 · Erheblich
Waldgrenze
2 · Mässig
Unterhalb
2 · Mässig
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Kernpunkte

Stormy conditions and the gradual warming will set the stage for dangerous avalanche conditions in wind-drifted terrain. Triggering avalanches in more sheltered terrain will be possible during periods of heavy snowfall or if heavy, dense snow rests over softer, lower-density snow. Steer around steep wind-loaded areas and carefully assess the new snow before riding steep terrain below the wind zone. 

Lawinenprobleme

  • Wind Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Likely
    Größe
    1.5–2.5

    Increasing wind speeds from the S/SW  and additional snowfall will create thick slabs of drifted snow that may range from soft near treeline to stiff at upper elevations. These wind slabs are likely growing quite large in alpine start zones with the amount of recent snow we received. In some upper elevation areas, these slabs may have formed over weak layers above the stout 2/7 crust. If these slabs fail on buried weak layers, they could break several feet deep, propagate widely, and run far into canyon terrain. 

    Pay close attention to blowing snow, sharp conices, and fresh dune-like drifts to help you identify slopes of concern. Limit your time spent directly under steep wind-loaded features. As always, shooting cracks, audible whumphing, and recent avalanches are clear signs that you should default to simpler terrain. 

    (2/20/2026)

    A large explosive-triggered avalanche in heavily wind-loaded alpine terrain from this past week. 

    HS-AE-R3-D2.5 @ E aspect, 7300 ft

    Photo: Joe Dellaporta

  • Storm Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    1–2

    Shallow storm slabs involving recent accumulations were easy to trigger on Saturday afternoon during avalanche reduction work at Mt. Hood Meadows. Look for this reactivity to potentially continue as new snow falls on a warming trend. New snow accumulations and wind-stiffened slabs may not bond well to the lower-density new snow that fell in the past days. 

    Shooting cracks and recent avalanches are strong indicators that conditions are unstable. You can also just keep tabs on new snow layering with hand shears or stomping on short, steep slopes and wind lips. These tests are easy to do on the move and give instant feedback about new snow stability. Adjust your plan based on your observations and move to simpler terrain as signs of instability increase.  

    If traveling at lower elevations, look for signs of wet snow instabilities. These should hold off for another day, but adjust your plan and stay off steep slopes if you notice rollerballs shedding or sticky, gloppy snow surfaces.

    (2/18/2025)

    An example of a small skier triggered a storm slab on Pea Gravel Ridge from last season.

    Photo: Joe Dellaporta

Avalanche Discussion

Avalanche Burial: At around 12:00 pm on Thursday, February 19th, a group of snowmobilers were riding near the Shoestring Glacier on Mt Saint Helens. On their second pass across a slope, two riders were traveling together when they triggered a large avalanche. Unknown to the first rider, the second was fully buried by the slide. Once realizing their friend was missing, the team quickly initiated an avalanche rescue. They located the buried rider with an avalanche transceiver and a probe strike. When they initially reached his airway, he was purple and not breathing. After several rescue breaths, the rider began breathing on his own and eventually regained consciousness. The buried rider was able to ride out under his own power with no injuries.

Avalanche: HS-AM-R2-D2-U, NE, 6000 ft.

While not directly in the Mt Hood zone, the above avalanche incident serves as a reminder of potential weaker layers that are starting to be tested by incoming weather as we move into a stormier pattern.

Discussion:

Saturday brought another fast 6-9 inches of new snow to the Hood zone. The Mt. Hood Meadows Pro Patrol reported reactive storm slabs in upper terrain during periods of heavy snowfall in the afternoon. Backcountry travelers on the south side also reported reactive conditions and shooting cracks in wind-drifted terrain. These trickles of new snow have kept wind-loaded terrain reactive and led to a couple of notable large natural and explosive triggered avalanches this past week ( Avalanche observation 1, Avalanche observation 2). We're not sure what these failed on, but the size and propagation are worth noting. 

Sunday will mark the start of a minor warming trend that will accompany more precipitation. This combination should lead to more dangerous conditions than we've seen in recent days, especially given the uncertainty about buried weak layers that may exist above or below the crust in the upper 1-3 feet of the snowpack.  

 Let us know what you see by submitting an observation here or on the AvyApp.

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