Avalanche forecast

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

You may be able to trigger avalanches both wet and dry in recent snow. Stay attuned to the surface conditions and signs of instability like shooting cracks, sluffing, or moist snow that slides easily. If you see these signs of instability, stick to lower-angle slopes. 

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    Wet avalanches often start from trees or rocks shedding snow onto slopes below, but you can also trigger them with your skis or snowmobile. Look for signs of instability, including rollerballs, recent avalanches, and wet snow that slides easily on small test slopes. If you see these, stay off of slopes steeper than 35 degrees, especially where you could be pushed into rocks or trees.

    A round of small, natural wet avalanches occurred in steep terrain on Thursday. Friday's conditions may be less reactive, though it's worth keeping wet avalanches in mind. Looking further ahead, we expect these avalanches to become likely, bringing dangerous conditions on Saturday.

    Example of a small wet loose avalanche. 

    Photo: Matt Primomo

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5

    You can still find dry snow at upper elevations. Slabs could be more reactive in areas of recent wind loading. Avalanches may slide easily on a crust from Wednesday. On small, inconsequential slopes, you can evaluate how well the new snow is bonding with simple tests like slope cuts, skin track tests (see video), and hand shears. If you see cracking or blocks of snow breaking up, as shown in the video, stick to slopes less than 35 degrees. 

Avalanche Discussion

While avalanches and instabilities may not be obvious on Friday, there's just enough to be concerned with that we wouldn't say conditions are "generally safe." Expect much more active and possibly dangerous conditions developing Friday night into Saturday with warm temperatures and rain. 

Observers reported small natural wet avalanches on Thursday. Stevens Pass picked up 3-5" of new snow on Wednesday. An observer reported a large whumphing collapse on a southerly aspect near Rainy Pass on Wednesday. At SPMR, snow safety reported small sluffs running on the new crust (1/24) with ski triggering. A widespread wet loose cycle occurred on Wednesday with light rain falling on the previously dry snowpack. These ran in the D1-1.5 range, but a handful were D2's (Lichtenberg), and perhaps one D2.5 (West Camp on S side of Rock Mtn).

Some very large avalanches ran on deeper weak layers within the Solstice Crust sandwich earlier in the month. Regionally, a very large slides have been triggered on a similar old crust layer at Mission Ridge on Wednesday, and Crystal Mountain on Tuesday (see photo). This crust and facet complex is now 4-5 feet below the surface in much of the zone. Last week snowpack tests had given sudden and propagating results, and although at the moment this layer is considered dormant in the zone, things may be starting to change as more snow accumulates. If you venture to the eastern half of the zone, it would be worth reading the East Central forecast. If you make it out, please share what you found with an observation.

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