Lawinenlagebericht

Blues

Wallowa Avalanche Center
Auf der Karte ansehen

Lawinengefahr

Hochgebirge
1 · Gering
Waldgrenze
1 · Gering
Unterhalb
1 · Gering
Open full map
Veraltet — dieser Lagebericht ist last year abgelaufen. Du siehst vergangene Verhältnisse, nicht den aktuellen Bericht.

Kernpunkte

Small wet loose avalanches will become more likely as the day progresses.  The upper snowpack has been losing strength over the last week and water has pooled on crusts in the upper snowpack.   Avoid steep slopes if you are sinking up to your boot tops in wet sloppy snow. 

This forecast is sponsored by Eagle Cap Mountain Guides

This will be our last weekend of producing avalanche forecasts.  Thanks for your support this season!  As you continue to travel in the mountains this spring, please submit relevant weather and snowpack observations and use this site as a community resource.  

Lawinenprobleme

  • Loose Wet

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

    Mountain locations received a good overnight freeze last night that has likely refrozen the surface of the snow on solar aspects.  As you travel through the mountains today, keep tabs on how warm and wet the snow surface is getting especially on solar aspects. 

    Look for clues to wet loose activity such as roller balls or pinwheels, and look for "point releases" out of rocky outcroppings or cliff bands.  Use small test slopes to test for the reactiveness of the surface snow.  (see video).  Plan your travel accordingly to avoid being on or under warming steep slopes in the afternoon.   Expect any natural or human-triggered wet loose slides to run easily on a crust that sits below the surface snow.  

    Consider the results of getting caught up in even a small wet loose avalanche if it were to knock you off your feet and carry you over consequential terrain such as cliffs, into dense trees, or into a gully feature.

  • Wet Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Unlikely
    Größe
    2–3

    On Friday in my travels in the Blues, I found water pooling at a crust about 1 foot from the surface.  I also observed propagating results in an extended column test on slushy snow just below the crust. (see video below).   

    If traveling in the mountains today, dig down at various elevation bands to investigate how deep into the snowpack meltwater has saturated the underlying snow.  If water is pooling on a crust, you have the off chance potential to get caught up in a more destructive wet slab avalanche.  Predicting the timing of wet slab avalanches is tricky, but if you are seeing numerous wet loose avalanches running naturally, your best bet is to stay off and out from underneath steep slopes. 

    (4/11/2025)

    Water pooling on a crust in the Blues

    Photo: Caleb Merrill

Avalanche Discussion

It's all about timing:

The springtime mindset is all about timing.... Overnight freezing temperatures will likely have formed slick crusts on solar aspects making morning travel fast and efficient if not a bit hazardous due to slip and fall conditions.  Starting on East aspects, then moving to the South, and West in the afternoon,  warming daytime temperatures and solar input will warm the snow surface and crusts will start to break down and become prime for riding.   As you are harvesting the corn, be aware of how saturated the upper snowpack is getting and don't get too greedy later in the day.   Track the depth of saturated snow, look for fresh pinwheels and rollerballs, and consider the results of even a small wet loose avalanche in consequential terrain.   

Cornices have become weak:

There are some huge looming and saggy cornices along exposed ridgelines.  Throughout the spring, they have been losing strength in the warming temperatures.  Avoid traveling near the edge of ridgelines where cornices could break further back than you might expect.  Use rocks and trees as clues to know where terra firma is, use a spotter from further along the ridgeline, and build some buffer into your estimation.  

Most cornices are near and above the treeline on the northern half of the compass, but when approaching any ridgeline regardless of aspect, look for cornice development.  

Be prepared and get into the spring mindset:   

Springtime brings dynamic weather and a smorgasbord of snow surfaces.  Be prepared for extreme weather shifts and variable snow surfaces from bulletproof crusts in the mornings to wet sloppy snow at lower elevations in the afternoon.  If you are traveling in the alpine this time of year, it is recommended to carry an ice axe, boot crampons, and ski crampons.   Practice putting these to use before you need them.  

Thanks for a great season!  

Today will be our last full avalanche forecast.  We will issue a General Forecast tomorrow......But that doesn't mean the party is over....There is lots of riding to be had this spring.    Mountain hazards will continue through the spring....and this includes avalanches.  Just because there isn't an avalanche forecast doesn't mean you can turn off your avalanche brain.   If you are on an alpine adventure or get out for a spring rip, consider submitting an observation here. 

Thanks to everyone who has supported the WAC this season.  We can't do it without our forecast sponsors, pro observers, motorized ambassadors, avalanche instructors, support staff, and most of all- the local and visiting community of people who love being in these mountains.  Thank you!  We'll see ya out there.   

Abgedeckte Regionen