Wet Slabs
- Alta montaña
- Límite del bosque
- Bajo el límite del bosque
- Probabilidad
- Possible
- Tamaño
- 1.5–2.5
Large wet slab and glide avalanches are possible on Saturday. It's been a very rainy week in the Pass, and the snowpack shows it. Dig down anywhere, and all you will find is saturated, mushy snow. While the surface may turn firm and supportable on Saturday, deeper layers will take longer to refreeze and stabilize. These avalanches are becoming less frequent, but the problem is not gone. If triggered, they could be large and deadly.
It's difficult to determine when and where these avalanches will occur, and using small slope tests will not provide adequate assessment. Instead, address this problem by choosing the proper terrain and travel technique. Start with smaller, lower-angle terrain, and work up to steep slopes. Watch for warning signs such as recent avalanche activity, deep cracks in the snow, or punchy, unsupportable conditions; these are good reasons to stick to low-angle terrain. Limit your time on or beneath steep slopes or rocky features.
(3/18/2026)
A glide avalanche on Rockface at Alpental. It occurred on Wednesday morning. Similar slides will be front and center as rain continues throughout the week.
Photo: Andy Harrington