East Slopes Central

Light trickles of new snow may be blown into shallow slabs below ridgelines and at upper elevations. These may be a little thicker in the Wenatchee Mountains, where more recent snow fell. Look for signs of recent wind loading and consider the consequences of a small avalanche before you ride in bigger terrain. 

Any new precipitation on Tuesday will be light and low-density. These amounts won’t have too much of an impact on the overall avalanche danger, but it may contribute to some isolated wind slabs that exist at upper elevations and ridgelines. The Wenatchee Mountains, particularly near Mission Ridge, were clipped by a small storm that brought 3-5 inches of low density on Monday. Mission Ridge Pro Patrol reported light winds and minimal slab development in their terrain. Notably, they also reported a layer of buried surface hoar that now sits roughly 9 inches below the surface in this area. However, they did not find this layer to be reactive yet, since the new overlying snow is light and cohesionless. 

While the avalanche danger is low, wind slabs should be on your radar as you move into the upper elevations or close to ridges. Low-density snow can easily be transported into thin, reactive slabs, especially if they rest over slick crusts and weak layers from the recent high pressure. These slabs will often lurk on the leesides of ridges, below cornices, or in rocky complex terrain. As always, consider the consequences of a small avalanche before riding in consequential terrain. Hitting rocks or being thrown over cliffs could easily make a small avalanche a big deal. 

Observations from this zone indicate complex, weak layering in the upper snowpack. There is widespread surface hoar development, crust/facet sandwiches, and a poor bond between recent snow and slick crusts below. Observations from Saturday indicated these weak surfaces are now buried intact below the few inches of fresh snow. While this storm wasn't the tipping point, these preserved, persistent weak layers may still be problematic with future loading events. While we wait for more snow, it will be useful to use small hand pits to check the new interface. Take note and send us an observation if you see buried surface hoar or if the overlying snow doesn't seem well bonded.