Lawinenlagebericht

Snoqualmie Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Mon
Hochgebirge
2 · Mässig
Waldgrenze
2 · Mässig
Unterhalb
1 · Gering
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Veraltet — dieser Lagebericht ist 3 years ago abgelaufen. Du siehst vergangene Verhältnisse, nicht den aktuellen Bericht.

Kernpunkte

You may find shallow wind slabs in new places Sunday as shifting winds move snow onto different aspects. The chance of injury in a small avalanche is real with so many obstacles exposed or barely buried. Be prepared for variable travel conditions; you may encounter a slick crust in wind-scoured terrain as well as stumps, rocks and open creeks in many areas.  

Lawinenprobleme

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Winds are forecast to ramp back up Saturday night but this time they'll be out of the E or SE.  So you may be contending with shallow wind slabs on a variety of aspects Sunday.  We aren't talking about huge avalanches, however, you'll still want to weigh the consequences of the terrain carefully. Taking a ride could mean being raked through rocks, old chunks of frozen avalanche debris and other not-very-fun obstacles to bounce off of. 

    As you ascend in elevation and enter more exposed terrain look for evidence of wind-stiffened and textured snow as well as shooting cracks.  If you see blowing snow this will tip you off regarding how snow is being redistributed due to shifting winds. Steer around fresh and recent drifts and stick to lower-angle or wind-sheltered slopes. 

    Blowing snow and fresh thin cornices hint at nearby wind slabs. 

    Photo: Andy Harrington

Avalanche Discussion

Following about 8" of new snow through early Saturday morning we were treated to a beautiful Saturday in the mountains.  Observers found widespread evidence of recent strong WNW winds in exposed terrain.  Firmer textured snow, wind lips along ridgelines, and scoured surfaces were easy to find.  1 thin natural slab avalanche on the N side of Kendall Pk may have occurred Friday evening during heavy snowfall.  In steeper terrain scoured to the old crust, travelers reported a slick icy surface to contend with. 

Early season conditions have left us without the usual number of observations for this time of year.  Use quick hand pits and test slopes to gather information on the layering and stability of the upper snowpack. If you're out enjoying the backcountry please take a few minutes and share what you're seeing through an observation. 

While the new snow is more than welcome it will take more than one storm to significantly improve the low snow travel hazards. Creeks, rocks, logs, trees and frozen old chunky debris all exist and can make even easy travel routes quite treacherous and time consuming. Take it slow and give yourself time to deal with the persistent early-season conditions. 

Heads up that a significant storm will likely impact the region Monday and Monday night with the potential for a wintry mix at the Pass.  There are still many details to figure out so stay tuned.  

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