Avalanche forecast

West Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Thu
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

You can trigger a slab avalanche in pockets of wind-drifted snow around cliffs, below cornices, and on the downwind side of ridges. Pay attention to changes in new snow depth and stiffness as you move through terrain. Choosing a lower-angle slope is the simplest way to reduce your chances of triggering an avalanche.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5

    Fresh wind slabs were responsible for two skier-triggered avalanches on Monday afternoon. Strong southerly winds continued into the night and continued to drift snow onto leeward slopes. Any newer wind slabs should be small, but could still take you for a nasty ride if there are consequences in the runout below.

    Stomp on small test features, such as mini cornices or drifted pillows, and use hand shears to assess layer bonding. When in doubt, steer toward lower-angle, more planar slopes. A few inches of soft snow may hide denser, wind-drifted layers. Light to moderate northerly winds may form additional slabs on typically scoured slopes, especially in exposed alpine terrain north and east of Highway 542.

    (2/16/2026)

    A human-triggered wind slab on Mt. Ann in the Baker Backcountry.  The person who triggreed it was caught and carried but fortunately uninjured. Northeast aspect at 5000 feet. 

    (SS-ASu-D1.5-S)

Avalanche Discussion

Observers in the Baker Backcountry reported significant wind transport from strong overnight winds but limited evidence of cohesive wind slabs. Wind effect was more pronounced in higher-elevation terrain. The uppermost layer of new snow is settling and gaining cohesion, while faceted snow remains widespread at and just below the surface.

Strengthening winds Monday afternoon coincided with a few skier-triggered slab avalanches (ob, ob). A third slab, possibly failing at the old–new snow interface, was triggered on an unsupported, very steep slope on the east side of Table at 4,900 feet. Convex, unsupported slopes steeper than 40 degrees still remain somewhat suspect, even in wind-sheltered terrain.

Snowpack structure varies widely across the zone. Low- and many mid-elevation areas have thin or patchy coverage, especially in forested terrain. On sun-exposed slopes, a sun crust—now topped with an inch or two of dust—caps 6–16 inches of mid-February snow.

The most notable layering is found 8–16 inches below the surface on northerly aspects, above a stack of crusts, some bracketed by buried surface hoar or rounding facets. However, the distribution of persistent weak layers appears irregular and drainage-specific. More developed persistent grains have been observed around Cascade Pass and in Canyon Creek north of Hwy 542.

Most recent avalanche activity, however, has occurred in the Baker Backcountry, where these grain types have not been clearly identified in profiles or test pits. The reason for this discrepancy is not fully understood. Regardless of the grain types involved, the old–new snow interface remains capable of producing a slab on just the right steep, unsupported slope.

Regions covered