Avalanche forecast

Elkhorns

Wallowa Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Wind drifted snow will produce pockets of sensitive wind slabs on steep east-facing terrain above treeline.  Avoid areas of freshly loaded snow that may look pillowy and round or have a rippled texture.  South-facing slopes at all elevations could produce wet loose slides today in the afternoon with daytime warming.  Look for signs such as pinwheels/roller balls, a wet snow surface, and small point releases in rocky steep terrain.  Avoid sunny slopes steeper than 35 degrees in the afternoon where the consequences of a slide could take you into a terrain trap.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    A few inches of new snow in the last 48 hours combined with NW winds have created shallow wind slabs along leeward ridgelines.  Expect these wind slabs to be sitting on top of a firm surface, and could be triggered by the weight of a rider.  Avoid areas where you notice signs of wind loading such as rounded pillowy snow drifts, hollow sounding snow, or snow with a rippled snow texture.  While these windslabs may be small and shallow, triggering a windslab above consequential terrain traps or a long steep slope could have an undesirable outcome.  

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    Daytime warming today could produce shallow wet loose avalanches on mostly south-facing aspects >35 degrees at mid to lower elevations. Look out for signs of wet loose avalanche activity such as pinwheels or roller balls.  If you step off of your machine or out of your boards and sink up to your ankles in wet cohesionless snow, wet loose avalanches are likely in that area and you should avoid terrain steeper than 35 degrees.  

Avalanche Discussion

The layer we are most interested in tracking in the snowpack at this time continues to be the 1/6 Rain Crust that can be found anywhere from 3-7" below the snow surface.  It varies and thickness, and there have been reports that there are faceted snow grains in places where this crust is more a sandwich of two different ice lenses.  With moderate NW winds overnight there remains a chance that a thicker windslab could step down below the rain crust.  Let us know what you are seeing out there!  Submit an observation here.  

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