Lawinenlagebericht

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

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

We are entering a pattern of daily melt-freeze cycles, and each day we could see wet avalanches in isolated areas. Get off of steep slopes if you begin punching into deep, wet snow. Cornices and glide avalanches may occur in sporadic locations, look out for these overhead hazards.

Lawinenprobleme

  • Loose Wet

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

    Avalanches will become possible on very steep slopes that face the sun. Look for wet snow surfaces once the surface freeze breaks down by the afternoon. Once you begin punching into wet snow, then it's time to move off from steep slopes. If you find a thick crust topping snow surfaces, then avalanches are unlikely.

    While wet loose avalanches will be most common, there is a chance for large wet slabs, glide avalanches, and cornice falls. Stay out from under large steep slopes if they have glide cracks.  Don't linger or stop in runout zones of big avalanche paths or beneath cornices. We believe the natural activity has tapered, but that doesn't mean we couldn't see isolated large occurrences, like what happened on Thursday. 

    (1/14/2022)

    Large, dirty loose wet slides in the Highway Chutes across from Highway 2 on the west side of Stevens Pass.

    Photo: Matt Primomo

Avalanche Discussion

The snowpack has taken a toll from the past couple of major storm events.  Each day the snow surface melts, then refreezes at night. It's difficult to tell how thick the freeze may get, or how long it will last with forecasted warm temperatures. Hence, Moderate avalanche danger. Avalanches may become possible depending on how thick the surface crust freezes. Evidence of large to very large avalanches (D2-D3+) are widespread in the mountains. Snow surfaces have rain runnels, and on Friday observers noted needle-like surface hoar overlaying the surface crust. A high elevation rain event began on the 11th and lasted through the 13th, initiating a cycle of wet avalanches. On Wednesday, multiple very large (D3) wet avalanches were observed in the Highway 2, Stevens Pass corridor. One impressive slide (D3) in the East Camp path ran to the valley floor on a south aspect of Rock Mtn.

Stevens Pass Mountain Resort measured 82" of snow accumulation in 72 hours between January 6 and 8th. On the 7th, WSDOT crews triggered D3.5 avalanches on the pass with control work. On the 6th, they reported multiple natural avalanches D2.5-D3 in size that hit the closed highway west of the pass. Once the storm ended, WSDOT reported over 208 debris piles up to 15 feet deep on Highway 2 in Tumwater Canyon alone. Several slides ran into the river and ten of them were very large. 

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