Boletín de aludes

East Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Peligro de aludes

Sat
Alta montaña
2 · Moderado
Límite del bosque
2 · Moderado
Bajo el límite
1 · Débil
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Desactualizado: este boletín caducó 2 years ago. Estás viendo condiciones pasadas, no el boletín vigente.

Lo esencial

New snow and wind will form fresh slabs at middle and upper elevations. You can trigger avalanches just below ridges and in open terrain where the wind forms stiffer snow drifts. If you find actively blowing snow, thick drifted pillows, or cracks shooting through the snow, stick to slopes less than 35 degrees. 

Problemas de aludes

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alta montaña
    • Límite del bosque
    • Bajo el límite del bosque
    Probabilidad
    Possible
    Tamaño
    1–2

    Look for clues of the danger like recent avalanches, cracks shooting through the snow, and actively blowing snow. You can also look and feel for stiffer, wind-textured drifts that break or crack easily. Steer around convex roll-overs and slopes over 35 degrees where you find these indicators of the danger.

    Easterly wind and snow will form fresh wind slabs on leeward slopes throughout the day. By Friday evening, slabs could grow to be 8" deep and possibly deeper at upper elevations. The new snow could also stress lingering older wind slabs and create a much deeper avalanche. On many slopes, recently buried interfaces are weak with facets and surface hoar. Snow could slide easily, even in the wind-sheltered terrain. Take time to test the snow on small, inconsequential terrain before moving to larger slopes. 

    (1/2/2025)

    A natural avalanche (D2) on Poster/Pika Peak likely occurred on the night of 1/1. 7,1000ft, NE

    Photo: Chris Bartram

Avalanche Discussion

You can expect about 4-5" of new snow by Friday afternoon. We don't anticipate low elevation, sheltered terrain to receive enough new snow to be a problem. However, if you find over 6" of snow that slides easily, consider that you are dealing with more dangerous conditions. Cold temperatures have weakened snow surfaces and increased the potential for small, loose dry avalanches in steep terrain. While loose avalanches are more predictable, be careful to stay out of your sluff and don't trigger it onto your backcountry partners. 

In the last few days, observers reported isolated but lingering wind slab instability. On the 1st, a small wind slab avalanche (D1, NE, 6,392ft) was triggered in a basin southwest of Blue Lake. There have been reports of isolated cracking. Earlier this week, a large natural avalanche occurred on Poster/Pika Peak in unsupported, cornice-filled terrain. It may have stepped down into older, deeper layers. Observers on Silverstar Mountain reported significant wind-affected snow at upper elevations, but no signs of instability. Elsewhere, observers have found plenty of soft snow on the surface.

Snow totals throughout this week are between 2-4 feet above 4000ft. Near Washington Pass, a thin crust buried around the Solstice can typically be found about 2 feet below the surface with snowpack depths averaging 5 feet.  Last Thursday and Friday, observers in the Twisp River drainage found a relatively strong snowpack, though still shallower than at the Cascade crest. There was 70-100cm of snow on the ground near 3,000ft, and depths increased with elevation. In the foothills and eastern portion of the zone, you may find more weak layers than at the Cascade crest and snow depths roughly of 2-3 feet. Pay attention to red flag signs of instability, such as whumping collapses, and consider digging down to identify potential weak layers. The Loup Loup area has a relatively robust snowpack compared to many years, though still shallow compared to further west. 

You can contribute to the avalanche forecast. Please let us know what you see in the mountains by submitting an observation. 

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