Lawinenlagebericht

Olympics

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Tue
Hochgebirge
2 · Mässig
Waldgrenze
2 · Mässig
Unterhalb
2 · Mässig
Open full map
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Kernpunkte

Monday will be mostly about cloud cover. If you start to feel the warming effects of sunshine, so does the snow. This could result in small loose avalanches on steep sunny slopes.

Lawinenprobleme

  • Loose Wet

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    1–1.5

    Loose wet avalanches are a common, often simple, avalanche problem, but this is a more complicated setup. At its most basic, there’s plenty of new snow, and temperatures are warming. Add some sunshine, and bingo, you’ll probably have wet loose slides. However, first, thin clouds could keep the sun from working its magic. Pay attention to the sky; the more sunshine, the more likely these avalanches become. The other tricky factor is the potential formation of a thin crust on Sunday. If the surface is crusty, it will need to soften before loose wet slides become a factor. 

    While the forecast isn’t a slam dunk, it should be easy to observe. If you notice snow shedding from trees and rocks, the surface getting wet and sticky, or see new rollerballs, the tides are turning. Small natural slides could release from rocky slopes, or you may trigger one of these slides in steeper terrain. If loose wet avalanches become an issue, head for more shaded areas.

    (12/28/2025)

    Small rollerballs and blobs of snow that shed from trees during the sunshine. 

    Photo: ONP Rangers

Avalanche Discussion

After several cold wintery days, conditions should warm significantly in the Olympics starting Sunday night. It may be chilly at some of the lower trailheads to start the day, but upper elevations are a different story. This will be a big change for the snowpack, and it’s not one we deal with often in December. 

On Sunday, ONP Rangers reported the snow surface on steep southerly slopes was just barely getting wet. This will likely result in a new crust on some slopes. Anything out of the direct sun, though, was still cold and fluffy. In general, we haven’t heard of any major concerns in the 8-10 inches of snow over the 12/24 crust. If you go poking around very steep, rocky, complex terrain, there’s still a chance you’ll find an isolated wind slab that fails near the base of the recent snow. 

The snow over the past week did wonders for coverage and travel conditions. One person remarked, “It's finally winter at Hurricane Ridge!” Even still, open creeks, random holes, and grabby bushes should keep you on your toes.

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