Avalanche forecast

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Thu
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 4 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Expect increasing danger during the day, with shallow but touchy wind slabs forming on slopes exposed to east winds. Look for textured surfaces, active wind transport, and shooting cracks. Steer around slopes steep enough to slide if they appear to be drifted over.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Weak snow and strong winds are a great combination for wind slab avalanches. We'll have that on Wednesday. We got a taste of what this could be like on Monday, when two separate parties reported easily triggering wind slab avalanches. Easterly winds will crank up faster than they were on Monday, so we can expect more snow to move snow during the day, and more slab. Slabs could be quite reactive as they build over weak and faceted surfaces.

    Pay attention to how the snow changes as you travel. Look for textured surfaces, and active transport. Look for cracking with wind stiffened snow. Steep slopes beneath ridgelines, saddles, and other open, exposed slopes may be the most likely locations you'll stumble into these. Look for drifting to occur even below treeline especially in the afternoon.

    (1/2/2023)

    Small ski triggered wind slab on a northeast aspect at 5,700ft near Rock Mountain.

    Photo: Erin Reynolds

Avalanche Discussion

The easterly winds are the big story for Wednesday as a strong Low spins offshore. Expecte accelerating winds during the day, especially for areas exposed to the Highway 2 corridor or other East to West oriented valleys. On Monday observers reported windy conditions near the top of the north face of Rock Mountain, and ski triggered a very small wind slab on a NE aspect at 5,700ft (See photo). Other observers reported touchy, shallow wind slabs near Highlands Bowl.

On Sunday, the sun was out, and a small round of wet loose avalanches were observed. Expect to find a sun crust on south aspects due to this. From December 23-27 the region experienced a stormy period with multiple rounds of heavier mixed precipitation. Expect to find a stout, translucent ice crust from Christmas up to about 5,000ft. Above that elevation it may become more opaque melt forms. This crust can generally be found 1.5-2.5ft beneath the surface.

Regions covered