East Slopes South

Be on the lookout for wet snow avalanches on slopes that are in the direct line of sunlight if and when the sun comes out. You'll notice surfaces becoming sticky and wet, which indicates that you might want to steer around steep terrain to avoid triggering a small slide and being carried over late season hazards.

We are moving deeper into a springtime snowpack. Below approximately 45-5000 ft on southerly aspects, you'll be hard pressed to find any snow to travel on at all. The hazards in these areas will be rock fall and overheating sleds. There is a meaningful difference once you climb above 6-7000 ft. At these higher elevations, you may find better riding conditions thanks to more recent new snow, but you should also expect more heightened avalanche conditions as a result.

With these periods of non-uniform cloud coverage comes some uncertainty in the avalanche forecast. Additionally, if surface crusts have formed, they will need to break down first before anything starts to move. Just be mindful that it doesn't take much for sunlight to infiltrate recently fallen snow on the ground. If the sun shines strong, conditions tend to deteriorate rapidly this time of year.

You might encounter lingering pockets of wind loaded snow in complex and exposed terrain. Wind slabs tend to form just below ridgelines and in gully or chute shaped terrain. Look for visual clues of wind transport, and where you find them, gauge instability before committing to something steep. 

Submit an observation to help NWAC Forecasters reduce uncertainty. It can be short, simple, and even anonymous. Visit the Recent Observations page to get an idea of what backcountry travelers share that helps entertain the forecasts in other zones.