Lawinenlagebericht

East Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Sun
Hochgebirge
2 · Mässig
Waldgrenze
2 · Mässig
Unterhalb
1 · Gering
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Kernpunkte

Forecasted winds will continue to drift the recent snow around at higher elevations. You may be able to trigger avalanches in this wind-affected snow at upper elevations. On northerly aspects, these slabs formed over weak snow and may be easier to trigger. Consider taking lower angle routes to make observations before committing to steep terrain. 

Lawinenprobleme

  • Wind Slabs

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

    There is plenty of available snow for transport, and winds will build slabs on lee aspects at the highest elevations. On northerly aspects, these slabs have formed over weak snow grains. There have been avalanches triggered on this layer in the Darland Mountain area on wind-loaded eastern aspects at approximately 6800ft. Observations of avalanche activity suggest that the sensitivity of this layer may vary significantly throughout the terrain. Therefore, adjacent slopes may react differently, and it may not be the first person on the slope who triggers an avalanche. The best way to avoid being surprised by one of these avalanches is to stick to wind-sheltered areas or lower angle slopes in high elevation, northern and eastern aspects. Always look for signs of instability such as shooting cracks, collapsing, or recent avalanche activity. These are all bullseye signs of an unstable slope. You can also dig down quickly to observe if the snow slides easily off the crust and look for weak snow above the crust. If the snow easily slides on the crust, you find it weak snow, or see other signs of instability stick to conservative terrain with lower angle slopes. 

    (3/18/2022)

    The crown from a recent snowmobile triggered wind slab that failed on the March 8th facets at approximately 6800ft on an eastern aspect. 

    Photo: Andrew Kiefer

Avalanche Discussion

It may be a cloudy and windy day for the east slopes of the Cascades. Some precipitation may spill over to areas just east of the Crest, but accumulations will likely be light. Forecaster, Andrew Kiefer, got out into the Ahtaneum area on Friday. He identified rounding facets overlying the Early March Crust, which is now buried about 11-15 inches deep. He was also able to document both natural and human triggered avalanches from earlier in the week that failed on this layer. Although avalanche activity on this layer currently seems to be isolated to areas where the wind has drifted the snow into deeper slabs, it could become a more widespread problem with additional snow. The East South zone is certainly not breaking any records for snowpack depths this winter. The warm temperatures associated with the storm kept new snow accumulations minimal at elevations below 5500ft. Therefore many locations still have very little or no snowpack, and you can expect challenging travel in areas with continuous snow. Utilizing summer trails to access higher elevations with a more robust snowpack may be the best option. Travel cautiously, especially at lower elevations, to avoid impacts with rocks or stumps, and beware of open creeks.

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