Lawinenlagebericht

East Slopes Central

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

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

Kernpunkte

While the likelihood of triggering an avalanche has decreased, the consequence of a surprising avalanche in wind drifted snow remains a concerning possibility. The snow is light and fluffy in many places, but still be on the look-out for signs of instability like shooting cracks or whumphing, especially as you gain elevation. For a safer and more fun day out, steer around steep wind-loaded features and enjoy high-quality powder riding in sheltered, lower-angle terrain. 

Lawinenprobleme

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Recent new snow and winds from various directions (SW now E’erly) have likely built slabs all over the compass rose. In many cases these slabs are likely resting over weak, faceted snow or a firm crust from our January drought. Expect these slabs to be larger and more widespread as you gain elevation or closer to the Cascade crest. 

    As you travel, look for blowing snow and surface clues like ripples, dunes, and cornice formation to help you identify where the wind has been as work. Since many of these wind slabs have likely built over weak surfaces, it won’t be straightforward to manage. You could trigger slides remotely—from flat terrain below, above, and to the sides of steep slopes. They may break surprisingly wide and wrap around terrain features if you get unlucky. 

    The best way to reduce your odds of producing a larger avalanche is to seek out low-angle terrain without overhead hazards while you travel through the wind zone. Avoiding areas of wind drifting in favor of more sheltered locations with softer snow will offer a more enjoyable experience. Monitor the cohesiveness of the surface snow and look for signs of a sensitive slab, such as cracking or collapsing.

    (2/1/2025)

    Blowing snow, fresh drifts, sharp cornices, and rime all point towards wind loading along this ridgeline. 

    Photo: Dallas Glass

  • Loose Dry

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

    Low density snow is stacking up in places like Salmon La Sac, Trinity, and Chiwaukums. In these places closer to the crest, expect this snow to move on steep terrain.  Dry Loose avalanches start at a point and entrain more snow as they fan out and move downhill.You can deal with this problem with sluff management or by steering around steep rollovers and gully features. 

    (2/2/2025)

    An example of a small, dry loose. 

    Photo: Irene Henninger

Avalanche Discussion

The recent storm brought a wide range of snow totals to the East Central Mountains. Trinity, Salmon La Sac, and the Chiwaukum mountains outpaced other areas with 12-15 inches of very low density snow. Areas further east received significantly less, with Mission Ridge/Blewett Pass only receiving 1-2” of new snow. The takeaway here is that avalanche danger will vary depending on your location in the zone.

A couple of key observations came in where more new snow fell. An NWAC forecaster was traveling in the Salmon La Sac and found 14 inches of new snow and reported a few booming collapses on east aspects around 5000 ft . Another backcountry traveler in the northern Chiwaukums also reported isolated whumphs in wind loaded terrain (obs here). These observations hint at deeper instabilities than our typical surface storm and wind slabs that we often deal with. While we haven't heard of any confirmed persistent slabs in the East Central, it may be wise to shape your travel decisions with this in mind, especially further west in the zone.

If you get out into the mountains, let us know what you see by submitting a public observation here. 

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