Olympics

Generally safe avalanche conditions exist in the Olympics. Cold, dry weather keeps firm and breakable crusts at the top of your list of travel hazards but expect some softening on sun-exposed aspects by the afternoon. Any old, dry snow is likely relegated to shaded aspects above 6500 ft.

We're expecting another day of cold temperatures with light winds on Saturday. Expect firm crusts on W-S-E aspects.  Take extra time to navigate the crusts, both on the way up and the way down. If you shade onto N or NE aspects, you might expect to find surface hoar continuing to grow atop a 1 cm crust, then approximately 4" of lower-density dry snow atop a denser layer. Boot penetration on these shaded aspects was reported to be around 1 ft deep. Temperatures should be a few degrees warmer on Saturday, so S and SW aspects with enough snow could offer more appealing riding conditions.

Hurricane Ridge has experienced quite a drastic drop in temperatures since highs topped 50F on Wednesday. By Friday morning, temperatures dropped to 18F and topped out around 23F.  This kept snow surfaces primarily frozen on Friday despite mostly sunny skies with low clouds topping out around 5000 ft.

The last precipitation (on 1/10) extended surficial crusts up to at least 6000 ft on all aspects as 0.25" of snow water equivalent fell at temperatures between 34 and 32F as rain at Hurricane Ridge proper.  

A report from Mt Ellinor on Thursday illustrates that widespread firm crusts extend to at least 5700 ft in elevation in the SE Olympics as well. Steep terrain in this area also held frozen debris from old wet loose avalanches and frozen wind ripples along the ridgelines.

If you manage to get to the highest elevations in the Olympics (above 6500 ft), you're likely to find shallow snow above crusts on shaded aspects. Recent or older redistribution may have drifted snow onto weaker snow surfaces or crusts in some areas to form stubborn or unreactive slabs. A weakening (faceting) 1/10 crust has created a poor snowpack structure in some of the nearby Cascades forecast zones, but that interface has not produced recent avalanches. The structure could be present in the Olympics as well and remains worth monitoring. If you find this structure, take the time to assess it before moving into consequential terrain. Avalanches on such an interface are likely to be small, but could surprise you on a very steep or poorly supported slope.

Hurricane Ridge proper has a largely consolidated snowpack with 45" of snow. The sunshine has taken a toll on previously wind-stripped ridgelines which are now down to bare dirt, and on sun-exposed slopes where grass is starting to show once again. On shaded aspects, coverage should be reasonable above 4000 ft. Below this elevation, expect to find plenty of holes, creeks, and other obstacles that impede your travel.

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