Avalanche forecast

Presidential Range

Mount Washington Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
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Highlights

The possibility of triggering an avalanche a foot or more deep in isolated areas puts the avalanche danger today at MODERATE. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully. An equal or greater hazard exists from long sliding falls on a frozen snow surface that may not soften at all, even in sunny locations today despite the sunshine. In steep terrain, continually evaluate your ability to not-fall, and your capability to stop sliding if you do. It’s very likely even an ice axe will barely slow you down. If sunny aspects do soften today, remember that surfaces will flash freeze when direct sunlight passes off of the slope

Falling ice is a natural natural hazard in the spring.  Limit your time on slopes beneath frozen waterfalls to avoid this hazard.    

The lower half of Sherburne ski trail is mostly rocks and mud and is now CLOSED at the rope, currently located across the trail at crossover 5. Please help preserve early and late season skiing by removing your skis and walking down the Tucks trail from there. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    You’ll find recently formed slabs of wind drifted snow in the eastern ravines up to a foot thick. These slabs remain somewhat soft and potentially reactive to a human trigger. The potential exists for larger, thicker slabs tucked here and there on the west side of the range, and in the north including King’s Ravine due to recent higher snowfall totals.

    These wind slabs are best described as islands of snow on an icy frozen snow surface, not a complete covering of snow everywhere. In many locations the new snow is very thin or non-existent. What remains is the older refrozen bed surface responsible for multiple skier sliding falls over the last two days with serious injuries as the result. (See Discussion Below)

    This avalanche problem may be an attractive surface to climb and ski but remember the unforgiving surface just beneath this new snow. If the lighting is good, the snow surfaces can be easy to identify: new snow will be white, clean while the icy refrozen old surface will be slightly grey color and reflective at obtuse angles to the sun.  

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    Warmer air temperatures and sun may lead to some sluffing on sunny aspects. Given the wind speeds today, this avalanche problem may barely develop, or not at all. Even if the slides remain small in size, the debris may push your skis around and possibly carry you. Be careful in steep terrain where falls have consequences, and consider the presence of rocks, trees and cliffs in your fall line.

Avalanche Discussion

The risks associated with taking a long sliding fall are very real with our current frozen snowpack. Over the last two days, MWAC was involved in four of the many sliding fall accidents: 

  • On Friday afternoon, a skier lost an edge in Huntington Ravine when soft snow became icy. A high speed sliding fall resulted in a broken femur when he collided with a tree. 
  • Saturday morning, a skier falling in Tuckerman Ravine turned into a long tumble to the ravine floor. Injuries to his knee and shoulder required a litter evacuation team and several hours to the parking lot.
  • Saturday mid-day,  a skier in Tuckerman Ravine was evaluated after a sliding fall and able to walk out with a possible dislocated shoulder. 
  • Saturday afternoon, a skier fell 800 vertical feet - the entire length of the Main Gully in the Gulf of Slides. It was reported that he was sliding very fast, and was airborne over surface bumps. The following rescue required around 25 people,  and after a failed attempt of helicopter evacuation, hours of litter transport over ground ending well after dark.  

Spring ski conditions can be fantastically fun, something we all eagerly wait for, but sometimes the weather and snowpack does not align with days off.  Until warmer weather returns, be honest with yourself and your abilities. You’ll have a better day by remaining cautious, and willing to back off or change plans if you don’t find the snowpack you expected. 

You can read more about sliding fall incidents here.

 

The snowpack at all elevations has changed dramatically over the past week due to several days with warm temperatures and rain followed by unseasonably cold weather.

  • The lower half of Sherburne ski trail is mostly mud and rocks. A rope across the ski trail at crossover #5 signals the closed trail below. Cross over and walk down the Tuckerman Ravine trail at this point. 
  • Increased streamflow from rain and melting snow last week has undermined snow and weakened snow bridges over stream beds. 
  • The waterfall holes and moats near rocks are large enough to fall into in the Headwall area of Tuckerman Ravine. The main waterfall hole and the “Open Book” ice climb hole below are both over 75’ deep. 
  • Rotten snow off trail can be knee to hip deep. 
  • The Little Headwall has melted and turned back into a waterfall with open water upstream. The safest way down from Tuckerman Ravine is hiking down the Tuckerman Ravine Trail to Hermit Lake.

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Your avalanche, snowpack, or weather observations are extremely valuable to the forecasters at MWAC. Help create a more accurate avalanche forecast by submitting your observations here. 

Listen to the weekly MWAC Outreach Podcast provided by Ski The Whites. Discussions include snowpack information, weekend outlook, and general avalanche related info. 

The Harvard Cabin is open for camping only with no entry allowed inside the cabin. There is no access to the breezeway at HoJos.

Please Remember:

  • Safe travel in avalanche terrain requires training and experience. This forecast is just one tool to help you make your own decisions in avalanche terrain. You control your own risk by choosing where, when, and how you travel.
  • Avalanche danger may change when actual weather differs from the higher summits forecast.

For more information contact the US Forest Service Snow Rangers, AMC visitor services staff at the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center, or the caretakers at Hermit Lake Shelters or seasonally at the Harvard Cabin (generally December 1 through March 31). The Mount Washington Ski Patrol is also available on spring weekends.

 

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