Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to difficult to forecast freezing levels.

FRIDAY NIGHT: alpine low -2, wind south 25km/h, cloudy, trace precipitation

SATURDAY: alpine low -2, wind south 20km/h, cloudy, 5-10cm new snow in the alpine

SUNDAY: alpine low -2, wind south 10km/h, mostly cloudy, 5cm new snow in the alpine

No new avalanches have been reported by the public or our field team this week. 

We have received regular small inputs of snow in the alpine above 1600m this week. Some of this snow has likely been blown into wind slabs in specific terrain features such as directly behind ridge line or in more extreme terrain. Below 1600m the upper snowpack is isothermal, moist, and mushy. 

The lower snowpack in White Pass is deep for this time of year with no layers of concern. Areas further inland, such as the Wheaton Valley, may have a shallower and weaker snowpack.

Cornices are still very large. Recent cool temperatures have kept cornice failures to a minimum but they should always be treated with respect in the spring, especially when the air temperature rises.

• Avoid exposure to slopes that have cornices overhead.
• Firm cornices can pull back into flat terrain at ridgetop if they fail.
• Back off slopes as the surface becomes moist or wet with rising temperatures.
• Keep in mind that wet avalanches can be destructive due to their high density.
• Watch for wind-loaded pockets especially around ridgecrest and in extreme terrain.