Avalanche forecast

Presidential Range

Mount Washington Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 5 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Human triggered avalanches are possible on steep slopes above 3000 feet in elevation. Wind-protected locations with soft snow on the surface are most likely to produce avalanches. Watch out for drifts of snow deeper than your boot top.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Expect wind slabs formed from snow early in the week to vary in size and distribution. In wind protected locations, these slabs are 5-20 inches thick and will be sensitive to a human trigger. You’re most likely to trigger an avalanche in softer pockets of new snow where your skis or boots sink into the slab. Traveling on scoured areas lacking soft snow to avoid the avalanche problem may be an option.

    With a trace to 2 inches of new snow today possible with wind from the west, watch for new slabs developing on easterly aspects. If we see the upper end of possible snow, new slabs up to a 12” thick will contribute to the current avalanche problem.  

    You can identify the slabs from a distance by looking for a continuous smooth snow surface. A textured surface is an easy way to identify a thin layer of new snow or wind scouring.

Avalanche Discussion

This past week has brought some complexity to our upper snowpack. Large slabs from the foot of snow and high wind have largely settled and are unlikely to slide. Early in the week, modest amounts of snow have been affected by moderate and strong winds not only from the west but the south. This has pushed snow onto and below northerly aspects with avalanches observed in looker’s left of Main Gully GOS, Hillman’s Highway in Tuckerman Ravine and South Gully in Huntington Ravine. If you are out today, look for small cornices formed on Boot Spur ridgelines facing north east. These cornices are small, unlikely to contribute to an avalanche but also unusual in these locations. 

Snow Rangers in Huntington Ravine yesterday found a variable snowpack with areas of firm snow surfaces and pockets of softer slabs with density changes within, but failing easy above the hard slabs of last weekend. These pockets of surface wind slabs are the primary concern today, and determining their location should be your primary field observation goal today. 

Please help us and your fellow skiers, riders, and climbers by submitting any pertinent or interesting observations to our website.

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