Avalanche forecast

West Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

Loose dry avalanches ran on steep slopes Sunday, and you can expect to see them continue, possibly with wet ones mixed in depending on how much the sun shines on Monday. Wind-drifted snow below ridgelines, on steep convexities and around features near and above treeline could avalanche up to about a foot deep with a human trigger.  Feel for heavier snow, scan for pillows or wind-shaped features, and pay attention to clues like cracking as indicators for steep slopes to avoid. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Most reports of the new weekend snow came back as "fluffy", but don't let your guard down. Bagley Bro sent in THIS observation about triggering a small wind slab in the Baker backcountry on Sunday. I was in Canyon Creek on Saturday and found an unreactive foot of new snow, except along ridgelines, where I got propagating results in pit tests along drifts, and I made sure to avoid those areas. Yet another observer also intentionally triggered a D1 (small) wind slab in the Baker backcountry on Sunday.

    As you gain elevation and make your way towards more exposed locations you could come across a reactive wind slab. Deposits are probably limited to the top foot or so of snow, and you're most likely to encounter them near ridgelines, in gullies, around rocky outcroppings or on steep rollovers. Some wind slabs may be hidden under a few inches of non-wind-affected snow, making them difficult to find. If you feel thicker snow,  experience long, shooting cracks or other signs of instability, take this as an obvious clue that avalanches could occur on nearby steep slopes. Avoid slopes greater than 35° where you identify wind-loading. 

    With warming temperatures there's a chance that previously low-density snow could "slab up" and get heavier, and avalanches more related to storm slabs could occur if this happens. 

    (4/2/2023)

    A human triggered D1 avalanche in the Baker backcountry on Sunday. NE, 5000ft.

    Photo: Lee Lazzara

  • Loose Dry

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

    Dry loose avalanches ran both naturally and with a human trigger on Sunday. Check out the video to watch some impressive medium sized, far-running avalanches occurring with a human trigger in the Baker backcountry. This type of avalanches shouldn't really catch you by surprise; they're something that you should expect to trigger if you enter steep terrain. On Sunday they were a little larger and more active than our usual new storm snow sluffs, and they'll likely remain similar on Monday. Make sure to be aware of the locations of other people, and the sluff around you, so you don't trigger one that takes out a friend or yourself if you're on or below a steep slope. There's a chance they could occur naturally, via tree bomb or near cliffy areas, especially if temperatures start inching up. 

    Regarding temperatures and cloud cover, we can expect to see slightly warmer temperatures and possibly a little less cloud cover on Monday, so wet loose avalanches may materialize, although we don't expect them to be highly active Monday. 

Avalanche Discussion

Below treeline you may still encounter very small slabs or loose snow avalanches, but it's not expected they'll be large enough to affect your day. Do make sure to stay alert for large tree bombs, creek holes, firm snow, and other springtime hazards which could cause bigger problems for you at lower elevations. 

Storm totals are around 1-1.5ft throughout the zone. We'll continue getting small showers with the finicky springtime conditions in the next few days. Previous to the weekend's snow, slopes on the southern half of the compass were moist and now have a crust. Northerly areas may have managed to avoid a crust, although wind affected most other surfaces. 

Snow immersion may not be at the forefront of your mind right now, but it could still be a problem out there. Take a look at the video in the media section, which provides a good reminder to take this problem very seriously. It may be a long video but it's well worth watching. 

 

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