Avalanche forecast

Mt Hood

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
3 · Considerable
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Highlights

New snow and steady winds will combine to create another dangerous day to be traveling around Mt Hood. Give all slopes greater than 35 degrees a good buffer, especially in wind-loaded pockets.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1.5–2.5

    Wind slabs will stay fresh and reactive to your weight on Sunday. These won’t be the areas to test your luck on since these avalanches are expected to be large and deadly if triggered. These wind drifted slabs will be found on the downwind side of ridges, below cornices, and under rock and cliff bands. Using visual clues such as blowing snow or looking for slopes that appear textured or ‘fat’ should help you identify slopes of concern. Cornices are likely becoming quite large and sensitive as well. So you as you move through the mountains give cornices and wind loaded slopes a wide buffer. You can simply avoid this problem by sticking to scoured aspects or staying on more sheltered slopes out of the wind zone.

    (3/4/2023)

    Use visual clues such as fresh cornices to help you identify wind loaded slopes. 

    Photo: Joe Dellaporta

  • Storm Slabs

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

    Mt Hood will continue to be in the firing zone for the remainder of the storm. So you should consider any steep slope at lower elevations as suspect until proven otherwise. These storm  slabs may be touchy and easily triggered especially during periods of heavier precipitation. You’ll typically find these soft slabs releasing on unsupported slopes or convex rollovers.The best strategy to manage this problem is to give the snow time to heal before pushing into steeper terrain.  

    This storm slab was triggered on Saturday. You can still trigger these types of avalanches on Sunday as new snow piles up.

    (4/1/2023) Upper crown of avalanche. Photo: Timberline Ski Patrol

Avalanche Discussion

The firehose continues to point at Mt Hood. Sunday is shaping up to be another dangerous day with another 1” of water forecasted, which could easily equate to over a foot of new snow by the end of the day. As new snow continues to pile up, keep your partners in close sight. It's starting to get real deep out there. 

On Saturday the Mt Hood Meadows Pro Patrol triggered large avalanches in wind drifted snow and several soft slabs in more sheltered areas. Visibility remained poor, so observations from higher elevations were limited, but we suspect a natural cycle may have occurred. The Timberline Ski Patrol triggered soft slabs in more sheltered areas. They reported these avalanches failing about 12-15 inches deep on the crust. 

Leading up to this storm most aspects (besides northerlies) below 6000 ft held  a melt-freeze crust at the surface. In some locations observers even noted graupel resting on this crust. The question now will be how the new snow bonds with these variable surfaces. Initially, it may not bond well, especially in areas where graupel sits on the crust. The best strategy will be to let the storm run its course and choose sheltered terrain less than 35 degrees. 

Last week observers reported weak snow associated with a crust that sits 2-3 feet below the snow surface. This layer was likely responsible for the isolated whumphs in the Gunsight Ridge area and propagating results( observation) near Vista Ridge. While isolated and unlikely, I’d still keep this information in mind especially if you find yourself traveling on higher elevation, northerly aspects.

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