Avalanche forecast

Stevens Pass

Northwest 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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Expect warming temperatures and increasing clouds. You can still trigger avalanches where you see cracks shooting through the snow or where you find stiffer surfaces and obvious wind-drifted features. If you see these indicators,  steer around steep slopes and roll-overs. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    You can still trigger avalanches in these stiffer wind slabs and they could be big enough to bury you. Pay attention to clues such as cracks shooting through the snow, textured snow surfaces, or wind features. Feel for stiffer snow beneath you. If you find any of these indicators, steer around slopes greater than 35 degrees.  East wind drifted snow into thick pillows and sculpted features along the Highway 2 corridor through Thursday. Cold temperatures have kept recent wind slabs reactive longer than usual.

    (2/22/2023)

    Isolated cracking in pockets of wind-drifted snow near Lake Wenatchee. 

    Photo: Brooke Maushund

Avalanche Discussion

There's a chance that you may see small loose avalanches on steep, sunny slopes. On Thursday and Friday, observers were able to trigger cracks in stiff wind-drifted snow, even in open trees. A few recent avalanches were reported that likely ran in the new snow due to wind loading mid-week. One occurred on an unsupported slope on Mt Index, NE, above treeline. From the 19th-22nd, Stevens Pass received about 1.5 to 2 feet of snow with wind drifting from both east and west winds. 

It's been almost 2 weeks (February 8-13th) since the last known avalanche on deeper weak layers. You can find the MLK crust in the middle of the snowpack, about 3.5-5ft below the surface. It formed in mid-January and holds thin, weak layers of snow above and below. The adjacent layers have gained strength and test results generally indicate less potential for avalanches. While avalanches on the MLK crust are unlikely, the layer is something to keep an eye on with snow profiles and snowpack tests.

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