Lawinenlagebericht

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

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

Avalanche concerns vary with elevation. Wet snow avalanches are possible on steep slopes at low and mid elevations, especially below cliffs and other very steep terrain. At higher elevations, small slabs may form with continued snowfall, particularly on wind-loaded slopes. A lingering, persistent weak layer remains buried a bit deeper in the snowpack and could still produce large, dangerous avalanches in isolated areas.

  

Lawinenprobleme

  • Storm Slabs

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

    New snow amounts are not impressive, but the warming trend at higher elevations could create shallow new-snow instabilities. Look for strong-over-weak layering as you gain elevation, and use hand pits and test slopes to evaluate the bond of new snow layers.

    Winds are not forecast to be particularly strong, but you are still more likely to trigger an avalanche on wind-loaded slopes that hold slightly thicker and more sensitive slabs. Unstable slabs might also be found at and below 5000 feet in the morning if colder, drier snow falls overnight.

    (2/26/2023)

    Use small features to test fresh slabs of new and wind-drfited snow.

    Photo: Jason Speer - Baker Mountain Guides

  • Loose Wet

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

    The number and size of wet-loose avalanches on Friday are up for debate, but rising snow levels and light rainfall will likely make the upper snowpack moist or wet up to around 5000–5500 feet. Conditions should trend that way through the day.

    Avoid travel on or directly below slopes showing signs of wet avalanche instability, such as rollerballs and very small wet slides, or where the snow becomes wet and sloppy. If rainfall is greater than expected, we could start to see wet slab avalanche activity as well.

    (3/5/2026)

    Fresh pinwheels in new snow.

    Photo: Julz Holder - Grounding Truth

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    Persistent slab avalanches can be large, break wide across terrain features, and be triggered from a distance. The likelihood of triggering one appears to be decreasing as continued loading from rain and wet snow has not produced new slab avalanches in areas that were active recently. Numerous wet-loose avalanches in other zones over the past few days have also failed to trigger deeper slab.

    Even so, this remains a high-consequence problem. Avoid large, open, steep terrain—especially where the snowpack may be thinner or more variable. Whumphing or shooting cracks are red flags, but don't count on getting warned beforehand. It’s possible to dig down and look for layers of buried surface hoar or facets and evaluate stability, but the easiest solution may be to avoid steep, unsupported slopes. This layer could also wake up with a bigger shot of rain this weekend.

    (2/28/2026)

    A wide crown (D2) above Crescent Lake, between the summit of Rock and Howard mountains. E, 6,300ft

    Photo: Josh Hirshberg

Avalanche Discussion

Stevens Pass picked up 4 to 6 inches of new snow on Thursday. Ridgeline winds were moderate to strong from the west with gusts into the 30s, but significant wind transport or slab formation was not reported around Stevens Pass Mountain Resort. Temperatures were slightly higher than forecasted.

The persistent slab problem is generally considered to be trending downward in likelihood as weak layers have time to bond under the influence of warmer temperatures. No new avalanches suspected of releasing at a layer of persistent grains have been reported in recent days, though whumphing was still reported from near Lake Valhalla over the weekend. At the same time, backcountry traffic and observations have been minimal so an absence of information doesn't mean the problem has gone away.

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