Avalanche forecast

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

At upper elevations, the snow remains dry and you could still trigger a new storm snow avalanche in the 18 or so inches of snow that fell Saturday night. Steer around steep slopes, especially with large wind drifts. If you're sinking deep into the wet, unconsolidated snow at lower elevations, you may still be able to trigger a wet snow avalanche.

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

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

    Residual storm slab avalanches could fail with a human trigger in the 18 or so inches of new snow that fell Saturday night. Identify locations that are deeper and wind drifted, as those areas are more likely to react to a human trigger. You'll find dry snow at upper elevations, and as you drop toward mid elevations the slab might be moist but it could still fail as a storm slab avalanche.

    If you notice any clues like long shooting cracks or notably stiffer snow, take these as obvious clues to avoid slopes greater than 30°. In general, while the snowpack is adjusting from this foot+ of snow that recently fell consider avoiding steep slopes during your travels on Monday. This is especially the case in high-consequence areas with terrain traps such as gullies, benches, trees, or cliffs beneath you. 

     

     

    (12/11/2021)

    Example photo: a skier triggered slab  avalanche on Big Chief Mountain, similar to what you might see Monday.  This slide ran within the new snow 40cm below the surface and broke about 75 feet wide. SS-AS-R1-D1-S. 5100ft, SE, Big Chief Mtn

    Photo: Josh Hirshberg

  • Loose Wet

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

    Snow transitioned to rain in the early morning hours of Sunday, and a few hours later a large natural avalanche cycle began.  Wet slab, moist, and wet loose avalanches were reported running on nearly all steep slopes. We're uncertain whether 24 hours later the snowpack will have consolidated enough that wet avalanche activity will have ended. If you see any new avalanche activity or are sinking deep into wet snow, steer clear of slopes steeper than 30° and travel quickly or avoid the runouts beneath large avalanche paths. 

    (12/10/2023)

    Most steep terrain in the Stevens Pass zone ran as natural wet slabs, moist storm slabs or wet loose avalanches Sunday morning. This occurred a few hours after rain had initiated.

    Photo: John Merriwether

Avalanche Discussion

Observers reported many natural avalanches, some large in size, a  soggy snowpack and rain to just above 5200' on Sunday. There was a net gain in snow from this last storm, but the snowpack is still shallow, irregular and variably wet in most areas. You can read the observation from Forecaster Matt Primomo who made it out on Sunday HERE. 

Upper elevations just barely hung onto dry snow throughout the storm that began midday Saturday. Warm temperatures are contributing to a rapidly settling snowpack so we expect stability to quickly improve. The largest factor that's keeping us more conservative is that we're not going to get a deep freeze. Freezing levels are only dropping to 4000ft by the end of the day Monday so you can still expect to find very soggy lower elevations. If we're lucky we may get a tiny bit of a surface freeze Sunday night which will contribute to slowing wet snow avalanche activity. 

 

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