Mt Hood

Warmer temperatures will soften slopes receiving direct sunshine, but wet loose activity should be minimal. The risk of a long, sliding fall remains on many aspects. Make sure you have sharps to arrest a fall and know how to use them.

Middle elevation temperatures finally dropped below freezing Thursday evening through Friday. Previously, the last time we saw temperatures at these elevations below freezing was January 9th. The region hasn't received precipitation since earlier in the day on the 9th.

Crusts on the surface of the snowpack remained mostly firm as a corral reef on Friday thanks to the cold temperatures and E winds in the 10-20 mph range. Minimal softening of the snow surface was reported on aspects directly facing the sun. Minimal amounts of snow was redistributed and was visible as a dusting on patches of bare ground. The wind redistribution was not sufficient to produce wind slabs as the drier snow on shaded aspects is often chalky, wind-affected, or may have a thin crust. Faceting but generally right-side-up snow can be found on some of these shaded slopes.

The weather and snow conditions on Saturday should be familiar from the middle of last week...warmer, with lighter winds, and significantly more surface softening during the mid-day hours than on Friday.

Recreationists are prone to long, sliding fall accidents when widespread firm crusts abound on the volcano.  Pack your crampons, an ice axe, and helmet if you plan on recreating in steep terrain. 

As you’d expect, the prolonged warm temperatures and sunshine have reduced the already shallow snowpacks on Mt. Hood. Our already lean snowpack continues to decrease, especially around rocky sun-exposed slopes and on previously scoured ridges. E-W-S aspects have been through many days of melt and freeze and on some slopes there's not much left.Approaches remain typical of early season conditions. Open creeks, rocks, and trees continue to plague the terrain and could easily exacerbate the consequences of a small avalanche or long, sliding fall.

While low avalanche danger exists, continue to practice safe travel rituals such as only exposing one person to steep terrain at a time and carrying a functioning beacon, shovel, and probe.