Avalanche forecast

Presidential Range

Mount Washington Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Watch out for slabs of unstable wind-drifted snow scattered throughout the mid and upper elevations. You could trigger an avalanche on steep east facing slopes where you find today's avalanche problem. As you travel through avalanche prone areas be aware of these smooth and potentially deep pockets of wind collected snow and the consequences below. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Strong west and northwest winds have loaded recent snow onto easterly aspects of the mid and upper elevations. Drifted snow has collected on these leeward slopes forming thick slabs of varying hardness, up to 2 feet deep in some locations. Rapid snow loading from strong ridgeline winds was evident throughout the day yesterday as light upsloping snow showers continued into the evening.

    Continued warmth for the next 48 hours and the addition of rain on snow, will begin to destabilize the wind drifted slabs making conditions this weekend potentially hazardous for wet slab avalanches.  

Avalanche Discussion

Visibility in the mid and upper elevations has been obscured for many days, leaving us with some uncertainty as to what has collected in the avalanche starting zones. From below and even in the clouds, we have been able to observe high variability in the crusts and pockets of wind blown snow. The developing slabs at the bottom of avalanche run outs range from fist hardness to one finger over a short distance traveled, making for uneasy snowpack info gathering.

The heavy rain event from last week peeled back much of the snowpack through wet avalanches in vital steep ski terrain. The debris from a very large slab avalanche was studied yesterday in the Lip and Upper Headwall of Tuckerman Ravine, revealing a destructive avalanche had taken place. A crust that formed after the heavy rains of the 23rd has become degraded and unsupportable for foot and even ski travel. Below this crust is softer loose snow grains with a mix of faceted particles making for an unstable setup.

The expected warming trend will likely promote instability in the snowpack while rains will further exacerbate the avalanche hazard this weekend. The steep skiable terrain of the Presidential Range is still very meager in snowpack, making the objective hazards of exposed rock and ice apparent. Surface conditions are highly variable with unsupportable rain crusts strewn across the slopes, making postholing off-trail inevitable.

Long Sliding Falls: Traveling in steep avalanche terrain today will require full mountaineering equipment including stiff boots, crampons, and an ice ax. Long sliding falls are dangerous, injuring or killing more people than avalanches in the Presidential Range.

OBSERVATIONS: Please consider submitting an observation of what you are seeing in your travels. Submitting an observation hones your skills, informs other users, and improves our forecasts. 

The Lion Head Summer Trail is now closed for the season due to avalanche risk. The Lion Head Winter Route is open.

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