Avalanche forecast

Mt Hood

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Out of date — this forecast expired 5 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Snowfall and strong winds will continue Thursday night with dangerous avalanche conditions lingering at upper elevations Friday. Give new and wind-drifted snow additional time to settle and stabilize before pushing into bigger terrain. Avoid large wind-loaded features and unsupported slopes 35 degrees and steeper.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    2–3

    Fresh slabs of wind drifted snow could still break several feet thick at upper elevations, and a very large avalanche occurrence over the next 24 hours would not be surprising. Be especially cautious around east-facing slopes above 6000ft. Cornices are also a concern and are overbuilt along many ridgelines. If they fall, they could act as huge triggers on slopes below. 

    Pay attention as you transition into wind-affected terrain. Look and feel for changes in snow surface texture and hardness. If you see recent avalanches, shooting cracks, or blowing snow and active wind loading, choose simple, sheltered terrain less than 35 degrees away from the runout of large avalanche paths.

    (12/28/2021) Obvious wind loading on Pea Gravel Ridge. The west-facing windward aspect is scoured with exposed rock, and the east-facing leeward aspect is fat and loaded. Photo: Andrew Kiefer

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    Over 1ft of snow fell Thursday, and an additional 6-8in of new snow will fall Thursday night before precipitation tapers off during the day Friday. The new snow fell with fluctuating temperatures and on cold, old snow surfaces. As the snow takes time to settle and stabilize, human-triggered avalanches will be possible on steep unsupported slopes, even below treeline. Look for cracking in the new snow as your travel, and easy or sudden fractures in tests. Seek out small, inconsequential features to assess the new snow before considering larger slopes. When in doubt, default to lower angle terrain.

    (12/25/2021)

    Example photo of a skier-triggered avalanche (size D1) about 1 foot deep in recently fallen snow on Arrowhead Mtn. (5800ft, W) near Stevens Pass. 

    Photo: Stephen Semanski

Avalanche Discussion

The storm brought extreme westerly winds and heavy precipitation rates Thursday with a slight warming trend. Whiteout conditions limited observations above treeline, but Mt Hood Meadows Patrol reported a handful of small triggered avalanches in steep easterly facing terrain near and below treeline.

The focus for Friday is on surface instabilities with continued loading from new snow and wind. The mid and lower snowpack are consolidating and generally strong, with no layers of concern within the 12/21-28 storm snow and a strong bond to the solstice crust now buried 4-6ft deep. 

A very large natural avalanche occurred on 12/23 on the Newton Clark Headwall. Find out more information in this REPORT in the NWAC Avalanche Occurrence Database. Although this avalanche is an outlier event, it should give you pause before exposing yourself to large alpine terrain from above or venturing to the upper mountain in the coming days.

With all the recent snow, watch out for tree wells and keep eyes on your partners. Learn more about deep snow safety HERE.

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