Lawinenlagebericht

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
Auf der Karte ansehen

Lawinengefahr

Sun
Hochgebirge
2 · Mässig
Waldgrenze
1 · Gering
Unterhalb
1 · Gering
Open full map
Veraltet — dieser Lagebericht ist 5 years ago abgelaufen. Du siehst vergangene Verhältnisse, nicht den aktuellen Bericht.

Kernpunkte

For Saturday, expect small wet avalanches with ongoing warming temperatures and sun. Consider the consequences of a large cornice fall and continue to stay well away from them.

Lawinenprobleme

  • Loose Wet

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

    Watch for triggering wet avalanches on steep, sun-exposed slopes, especially steeper than 40 degrees. Avalanches may be easier to trigger and larger at upper elevations. Use caution around terrain traps like cliffs, gullies, or rocks. Time your travel to be off of slopes before they are wet and weak. Use inconsequential test slopes to see how easily the snow slides. If surface snow doesn't freeze solidly overnight, you may be able to easily trigger wet avalanches as the day warms.

    (3/11/2021) Loose wet avalanches that ran on either March 9th or 10th. On the right side, you can also see an old crown from a deep slab avalanche that ran in late February. Compare to the similar photo below taken on the 8th. Rock Mtn, SE, 6,400ft

Avalanche Discussion

Temperatures are progressively warming with each day this week. Pay attention to factors that contribute to warming of snow like varying cloud cover, a lack of wind, and the thickness of existing surface crusts. Don't linger on or under cornices. If you're traveling on a ridge, give them a wide margin. We've received observations of cornice fall last week, and more recently in other zones. On Sunday and Monday, observers reported a couple of natural wind slab avalanches along with wind transport near and above treeline. 

While deep persistent slab avalanches are dormant and unlikely, the snowpack structure can still be found. The mid-January crust-facet layer is now 8-9 feet below the surface and showing signs of strengthening. Drainages far east of the pass and into the East Central zone are more prone to these avalanches. The last known deep slab avalanche in this zone was on March 1 with another suspected in the West South zone on March 3. Major warming events later in spring and summer could trigger further rounds of avalanches on this layer. Keep in mind the consequences of these massive avalanches and give yourself an extra margin of terrain in and around large avalanche paths.

On March 1st, WSDOT avalanche teams triggered an 8ft deep D3 avalanche on the southeast face of Rock Mountain east of Stevens Pass. In the Chiwaukum Mountains, a natural D3.5 avalanche in upper-elevation north-facing terrain is suspected to have run on the 28th. A massive avalanche (D4) ran naturally in the West Camp path on Rock Mountain less than 2 weeks ago. These are just a few of the very large and historic avalanches that occurred in the second half of February.

During the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, continue to follow the latest guidance from local, state, and federal health officials. Avoid unnecessary risks that could impact first responders and stress medical resources.  Wear a mask when appropriate, practice social distancing, and consider recreating closer to home.

Abgedeckte Regionen