Avalanche Forecast

No new avalanche observations.

On Monday, a couple of large, deep avalanches were observed in the alpine near Haines Pass. A size 3 on a northeast aspect was thought to have run during a wind event last Sunday, and a size 2.5 on a south aspect was thought to have been triggered by strong sun early in the week. These have been isolated occurrences so far but may be a sign of things to come as the spring warms up.

If you head out in the backcountry, let us know what you are seeing by submitting a report to the Mountain Information Network.

A dusting of new snow falls over wind-pressed surfaces in the alpine and crust on solar aspects around treeline. Soft older snow may be found in shady, wind-sheltered areas. At Haines Pass, 5-15 cm of snow sits over a rain crust below 1300 m.

Weaknesses in the mid and lower snowpack are unlikely to produce avalanches under the current conditions. A weak layer of surface hoar/crust/facets buried in early January is now over 1 m deep in most areas, and has not produced avalanche activity for several weeks. The lower snowpack consists of basal facets, particularly in thin snowpack areas.

Thursday night

2-5 cm of new snow. Moderate southerly wind. Alpine low -9 °C.

Friday

2-5 cm of new snow. Moderate southeast wind. Alpine high -5 °C.

2-5 cm of new snow. Light southeast wind. Alpine high -6 °C.

A mix of sun and cloud. Light southwest wind. Alpine high -8 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Small avalanches can have serious consequences in extreme terrain. Carefully evaluate your line for wind slab hazard before you commit to it.
• Pay attention to isolated alpine features as well as cross-loaded features at treeline.
• Avoid shallow, rocky areas where the snowpack transitions from thick to thin.