Avalanche forecast

Presidential Range

Mount Washington Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Generally safe avalanche conditions exist across the Presidential Range. In areas of softer snow in wind-protected areas, triggering a small avalanche is unlikely but not impossible. Continue to make slope-specific stability assessments and use thoughtful travel techniques in avalanche terrain.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    In southeast-facing avalanche terrain and in wind-sheltered areas (under larger cliffs or in gullies surrounded by trees), watch out for isolated wind slabs between 0.5 and 2 feet thick. Look for smooth, pillow-like snow versus the textured, firm snow surface. This snow might feel or sound hollow and have a strong-over-weak structure. Travel thoughtfully around these areas and re-assess stability when softer snow is found.

Avalanche Discussion

Expect to find firm (pencil +) snow conditions in most alpine terrain and slightly softer (1 finger) wind slabs in isolated areas of wind-sheltered terrain, especially on southeast-facing slopes. In these more sheltered areas, it is not out of the question to find an area of reactive snow - but the terrain should limit this possibility to small pockets. Avoidance and mitigation of this avalanche hazard can be done with thoughtful terrain choices, stability assessments, and travel techniques.

There is some uncertainty around the amount of new snow and mixed precipitation arriving tonight. With the Mount Washington Observatory calling for 1 - 3 inches and the National Weather Service calling for 2 - 4 inches, we will have a clearer idea of how this will affect avalanche hazard for tomorrow morning’s avalanche forecast. Even if we see the lower snow total, expect some level of heightened avalanche danger with the potential for rapid wind loading building new wind slabs on a very firm snow surface.  

Over the past couple weeks, avalanche paths have become significantly more developed and have the capability of producing larger avalanches in future storms. Keep this in mind with your future route planning and realize that upcoming storms are loading new snow into a much bigger metaphorical gun. 

 

The Lion Head Summer Trail is CLOSED due to increased avalanche hazard. The Lion Head Winter Route is OPEN and the most direct route to the Mount Washington Summit from Pinkham Notch. 

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