Avalanche forecast

Presidential Range

Mount Washington Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
4 · High
Treeline
4 · High
Below
No rating
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Highlights

Avalanche conditions are very dangerous. Natural and human-triggered avalanches large enough to bury people are very likely. Some avalanches will be large enough to snap trees or destroy a house and may run far into areas previously considered safe. Traveling in or under avalanche terrain is not recommended.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    1.5–3.5

    Very high winds overnight will continue into the day and will create very large and highly destructive avalanches. On north-facing, east-facing, and south-facing slopes above 3000 feet in elevation, large and destructive avalanches are expected to release spontaneously and without warning. Examples of affected terrain include Tuckerman Ravine, Gulf of Slides, Great Gulf, Oakes Gulf, and Huntington Ravine.

    These avalanches have the ability to run far into areas that are often considered safe including past the Tuckerman Ravine Connection Rescue Cache, into the historic Hillman’s Highway runout zone, and past the upper rescue cache on the Gulf of Slides Ski Trail. Avalanches on wind protected aspects will have the ability to avalanche, reload with wind-drifted snow, and avalanche again. Traveling in or underneath avalanche terrain in these areas is not recommended.

    On steep westerly aspects, expect to find wind-affected snow that could easily avalanche from the weight of a person. Avalanches on these aspects above 3000 feet in elevation may not be quite as large or destructive, however they still have the potential to bury one or more people.

Avalanche Discussion

MWAC has issued an Avalanche Warning for the Presidential Range for the second day in a row. Today is not the day to “go for a look” in Tuckerman Ravine, Huntington Ravine, or the Gulf of Slides. By traveling above Hermit Lake, the lower Gulf of Slides rescue cache, or the Dow Cache, you are entering avalanche terrain during a time when getting caught in an avalanche would likely be unsurvivable. 

After a significant storm bringing about 24 inches of snow to the Hermit Lake area, very dangerous avalanche conditions are expected to continue through the day today as high wind speeds have the opportunity to move snow onto east-facing and south-facing aspects. New wind slabs in these areas could be over 5 feet thick and be sitting on top of a snowpack that already has a weak, poor structure. This means that new avalanches could step-down into older layers and increase the size and destructive potential of the slides exponentially. 

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