Lawinenlagebericht

East Slopes South

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 7 months ago abgelaufen. Du siehst vergangene Verhältnisse, nicht den aktuellen Bericht.

Kernpunkte

Triggering a slab of recently wind drifted snow will be possible as you climb or ride into wind exposed terrain. Pay attention to blowing snow, wind-rippled surfaces, and fresh drifts to help you identify slopes of concern. Keep in mind that access remains challenging, and low-snow hazards could easily make a small avalanche consequential. 

Lawinenprobleme

  • Wind Slabs

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

    New snow and a round of strong winds on Saturday night will create a batch of soft and hard wind slabs across upper and some middle elevation terrain. Look for these slabs to be most reactive to human triggering during the morning hours. In most areas, these slabs will form over a crust or wet snow, depending on aspect and elevation, but it’s always possible they could build on weaker surfaces after high pressure and produce larger avalanches, particularly on upper-elevation northerly aspects. 

    You’ll most commonly find these slabs on the downwind sides of ridges, below cornices, and in terrain that can promote drifting, like rocky complex areas. Use visual clues such as blowing snow and textured, wind-sculpted surfaces to help you identify where the wind has been at work. Shooting cracks under your feet or machine are obvious clues that you found an unstable slab. Keep in mind that any triggered wind slab could be consequential if there are rocks, trees, or creeks in the run-out. 

    (1/9/2026)

    Drifts, wind lips, and rime pointing towards loaded slopes

     

    Photo: Dallas Glass

Avalanche Discussion

A frontal system will finally bring some much-needed precipitation and snowfall to the East South zone.  This won’t be a big storm, but it should offer a good refresh and bring a spike in avalanche danger. In most areas, new snow will fall over a crust of varying thicknesses depending on aspect and elevation. In addition to new snow instabilities, there is some uncertainty regarding cloud cover, so keep small wet loose avalanches on your radar if the sun decides to poke through the clouds. Fresh rollerballs and pinwheels are good indcators the surface snow is warming and becoming weak. 

Unfortunately, the January drought left its mark across the mountains of the East South. Access is very challenging, and new snow will fall on bare ground or a very shallow snowpack at lower elevations. In general, you’ll find an incredibly lean and sharky snowpack east of Darland Mountain. If you’re recreating farther west, in the Tieton area or west of Bumping Lake, you’ll encounter more usable snowpack. 

Observations from this zone would be very valuable if you’re getting out—please share what you’re seeing.

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