Avalanche forecast

Presidential Range

Mount Washington Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
No rating
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Highlights

Avalanche conditions are dangerous. On steep east-facing and south-facing slopes above 3000 feet in elevation, it may be easy for a large and destructive avalanche to be triggered from the weight of a single person. In the same areas, it is possible that large avalanches could occur naturally and without warning. Safely assessing the snowpack in avalanche terrain today may not be possible with poor visibility from blowing snow.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    2–3

    Significant snow accumulation combined with increasing winds from the northwest have created large wind slabs on east-facing and south-facing aspects above 3000 feet in elevation. The size of these avalanches are expected to be large enough to bury multiple people and in some areas could destroy a truck or break fully grown trees. You are likely to trigger a large wind slab avalanche if choosing to travel in steep east-facing or south-facing terrain which includes areas like Tuckerman Ravine, Gulf of Slides, and the Summer Lion Head Trail. In these same areas, it is possible that avalanches could occur naturally and run farther down steep slopes than has been seen all season. 

    Conservative decision making and careful route planning to avoid or minimize time in runout zones is critical for safe travel in the Presidentials today. Entering avalanche terrain to assess snowpack conditions could be an incredibly dangerous proposition, especially with limited visibility from blowing snow.

Avalanche Discussion

Though the hazard rating has decreased to CONSIDERABLE from HIGH yesterday, make no mistake about the potential for large, destructive avalanches today. Increasing winds from the northwest overnight and through the day today are expected to be moving ample amounts of snow to south-facing and east-facing terrain. Steep slopes on these aspects have the opportunity to avalanche, reload from wind-drifted snow, and avalanche again. Expect avalanches today to be bigger and run longer than we have seen all season,extending deep into runout zones that cross approach routes, such as the Gulf of Slides Trail. 

As wind speeds continue to increase through the day and overnight, expect the slab surface to become harder, and more stubborn to trigger. Even with this decrease in sensitivity, the consequence of triggering a wind slab avalanche over the next 24 hours remains deadly. With very intense wind conditions and poor visibility, making accurate and slope-specific snowpack assessments will be challenging, if not impossible. Conservative decision making and terrain choices are essential to staying safe in the mountains today. 

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. 

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