Lawinenlagebericht

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Mon
Hochgebirge
2 · Mässig
Waldgrenze
1 · Gering
Unterhalb
1 · Gering
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Kernpunkte

You'll likely encounter more hazards associated with challenging travel than avalanches. However, a modest amount of fresh snow and wind may form shallow slabs along ridgelines where you could trigger an avalanche. We expect avalanches to be small but use caution in terrain where a small avalanche could push you over rocks or cliffs. 

Lawinenprobleme

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Watch for actively drifting snow, shooting cracks, or stiff snow over softer layers as signs of wind slabs. Ridgelines and cross-loaded gullies at upper elevations are the most likely places to encounter this problem. Choose sheltered terrain or steer around steep slopes with deep drifts to avoid triggering avalanches. 

    We'll get another dusting of snow at cooler temperatures on Sunday afternoon, but don't expect more than a few inches with light to moderate winds. The recent warm temperatures and rain left thick, slick crusts on the snow surface, so wind slabs could be sensitive to triggers, even if they are quite small. We expect wind slabs to involve just the recent snow from the past 48 hours. However, we have limited information from upper elevations where more dry snow could be available for drifting, so assess wind slabs for depth and reactivity before committing to large alpine terrain. 

    (12/8/2024)

    An example of a small avalanche in wind-drifted snow. 

    Photo: Josh Hirshberg

Avalanche Discussion

Sunday should bring another modest amount of fresh snow with cool temperatures before a more significant system moves through the region on Sunday night. Stay tuned because the Holiday week looks wet, wild, and stormy. 

 We expect most wet avalanches to have run their course, but lower elevations below 3500ft could see some additional rain on Sunday. There isn't much snow down at those elevations, and the snowpack has already seen a lot of liquid water or is capped with a thick freezing rain crust, so we expect any wet avalanches to be isolated and small. But avoid lingering under cliffs and rocks still holding tenuous blobs of snow. 

I traveled in the Lichtenberg area just east of Stevens Pass on Saturday. I found variable types of travel, including a mixed bag of punchy crusts and frozen chunder in the forested lower elevations. However, once I entered into more open terrain with fewer trees and vegetation, the crust became much more supportable and smooth. The surface was moist and edgable, but the ski crampons were an extremely useful tool. I found adequate coverage, but creeks had blown out from the rain in a few places. The snowpack at 5000ft was strong and 3-4 feet deep. Some light snow during the day made for shockingly pleasant skiing on the crust in these open areas. 

We're coming out of a wet and warm storm cycle that resulted in widespread natural avalanches throughout the zone. We have little to no information from elevations above 6000ft, so if you're getting into alpine terrain be prepared to make your own assessments. Avalanches will be more likely if you find more than 6-8 inches of dry snow over the most recent melt-freeze crust. 

If you're in the mountains, let us know what you see by submitting an observation.

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