East Slopes South

Avalanche conditions are generally safe. Variable travel conditions will likely be your most significant mountain hazard on Friday.

On Thursday, Katie traveled in the Bumping Lake area and observed a wet and shallow snowpack (6-12 inches) at lower elevations. Once above 5000 ft, she started observing a deeper but still saturated snowpack. She reported that the recent warm temperatures and rain have broken down any surface crust, which made for more efficient and supportable travel. You can check out her photos in the gallery. 

Last weekend's atmospheric river brought 6-12 inches of snow across the east-south, but unfortunately, the storm ended warm with rain. Since then, observers across the region have been reporting variable travel and a breakable crust extending to upper elevations. We are uncertain about the current rain/snow line across the East South, but it's likely somewhere around 6500-7000 ft. We have minimal information about the snowpack above these elevations.

Once you start noticing dry snow at upper elevations, the best policy will be to ease into the terrain slowly. Actively look for signs of instability, especially near wind-exposed ridgelines. Watch for blowing snow or signs of recent drifting. Textures like dunes, ripples, and pillow-like slabs can help you identify potentially problematic slopes. 

Lower elevations have struggled to build a meaningful snowpack so far. Last Saturday, I traveled across the East South to scout access points and found very little snow at the Ahtanum Meadows SnoPark. Moving west, I found a more usable (but still shallow) snowpack at Bumping Lake and West along SR 410. 

Observations have been sparse since the recent storm, so if you get out, let us know what you see by submitting a public observation.