Boletín de aludes

Snoqualmie Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Peligro de aludes

Tue
Alta montaña
3 · Notable
Límite del bosque
3 · Notable
Bajo el límite
2 · Moderado
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Desactualizado: este boletín caducó 6 months ago. Estás viendo condiciones pasadas, no el boletín vigente.

Lo esencial

Multiple buried weak layers, continued snowfall, warmer temperatures, and wind loading have created tricky avalanche conditions. You could trigger a potentially large avalanche on any steep slope with buried weak grains, wind loading, or both. The snowpack is being tested; consider sticking to simple, lower-angle terrain. 

Problemas de aludes

  • Loose Wet

    • Alta montaña
    • Límite del bosque
    • Bajo el límite del bosque
    Probabilidad
    Possible
    Tamaño
    1–1.5

    With snow levels hovering near or just above Pass level, expect a potential uptick in wet loose avalanche activity if denser snow or rain falls. The Pass has received 1–1.5 feet of cold, low-density snow over the past week, and even a small amount of added water could be enough for wet activity. Fortunately, this issue should be confined to lower elevations.

    Pay attention to clues from the snow surface. Fresh roller balls, small point-release avalanches, or even raindrops hitting your jacket are all signs that wet activity may be increasing. If you start to notice these signs, it’s time to move to lower-angle terrain.

    (2/10/2026)

    A natural wet loose avalanche that originated near a snowy cliff. Although not large, these slides are dense. You don't want one to push you into a terrain trap. 

    Photo: Andy Harrington

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    Over the past 36 hours, we’ve seen the first real signs of avalanche activity on the buried 2/7 and 2/13 weak layers across Snoqualmie Pass. Additional snowfall could be enough to tip the scales and cause these layers to fail more consistently. So far, the activity has been focused on areas of deeper wind-loaded slopes, which have involved audible whumpfs, wide propagation, and long shooting cracks. This snowpack is tricky, and it'll be hard to navigate where this problem does and doesn't exist. Stepping onto a steep slope could be a gamble as to whether you trigger a slab.

    Long shooting cracks, audible collapsing underfoot, and recent avalanche activity are all good indicators of an unstable snowpack. If you're traveling near ridgelines or wind-exposed terrain, keep your eye out for lens-shaped slopes or pillows on leeward-facing terrain. Fresh wind slabs could produce a large avalanche, stepping down to the buried weak layers.

    Your best bet is to avoid traveling on or beneath steep slopes, especially areas with wind loading.

    (2/21/2026)

    An unintentionally triggered, widely propagating avalanche from 2/21. N, 5500ft.  Its unconfirmed, but this slide may have failed on older persistent grains. 

    Photo: NWAC

Avalanche Discussion

Sunday brought a couple of fresh inches of snow and warmer temperatures to Snoqualmie Pass. In the last 36 hours, there have been numerous human-triggered avalanches and shooting cracks associated with the buried 2/7 facet-surface hoar combo and 2/13 surface hoar. Today, one party near Pineapple Pass reported small instabilities within the cold, dry snow, as well as an audible whumpf on a steep apron.

The upper snowpack is currently made up of 1–1.5 feet of cold, dry snow sitting on a thin layer of preserved surface hoar from 2/13. Between the 2/13 and 2/7 interfaces lies a few inches of weakening snow, with the 2/7 layer composed of surface hoar and facets. Several crusts exist below the 2/7 interface, many of which are also weakening to varying degrees. So far, these layers have been somewhat stubborn to fail in tests, but that will likely change as additional load is added. Now is a good time to dial it back and approach steep terrain with a more critical eye than you may have earlier this winter. Stepping onto a steep slope isn’t a guaranteed trigger; it’s more like rolling dice, with high consequences if you lose.

Sunday night into Monday will bring another round of fresh snow to the Pass, with the potential of rain at the trailhead level. Winds will continue to blow moderately, redistributing any snow on wind-exposed slopes and ridges.

Even with new snow, remember that the snowpack is still incredibly thin. In many low-elevation areas, especially on the south and west aspects, only a few inches separate you from dirt and rocks. Any new snow will only slightly conceal the previously exposed objects. Travel cautiously in these low-tide conditions.

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