Mt Hood

Avalanche conditions are generally safe around Mt. Hood. Slick, icy surfaces and challenging travel will be your most significant hazards on Friday. Continue to use best-practice travel techniques, such as only exposing one person at a time to steep slopes and assessing the snow and terrain as you travel.

The cooling trend continues for the region. Unfortunately, there is no precipitation in the near future, so we’ll be stuck with widespread firm surfaces and minimal avalanche concerns for a few days. Your best bet for slightly softer snow will likely occur on solar slopes below 6000 ft during the early afternoon hours, but even that may be a tall order with the cold temperatures in forecast. 

The snowpack has endured a serious beating with the warm temperatures and strong winds from this past week. Most W-S-SE aspects received significant sun, so these slopes should have a crust moving forward. N-E aspects above 6500 ft are a mixed bag of wind-packed snow, scoured ice, sastrugi, and softer, faceting snow in the most sheltered-shaded pockets.

While the avalanche danger is LOW that doesn’t mean no danger. During this period of high pressure keep some things in mind:

Wind Slabs: Most pockets of wind drifted snow have proven well-aged and unreactive. However, strong NW winds on Thursday may have redistributed small amounts of snow into thin slabs on shaded N- E aspects at the highest elevations. These should be small and isolated but could be consequential in radical terrain, especially paired with our firm surfaces. Look for blowing snow or stiff textured pockets to help you identify wind-loaded features. 

Long, Sliding Falls: The slide-for-life conditions will be your most significant mountain hazard around Mt Hood during this period. If you head out into exposed terrain, be sure to pack the crampons, ice axe, and importantly, know how to use this gear properly. These firm surfaces will be widespread, especially on any slope that received sun softening in the past days. 

Normal Caution: Avalanche conditions are generally safe, but still practice safe travel and carry avalanche rescue gear. Expose only one person at a time in bigger, steeper alpine terrain.

Let us know what you see. Submit an observation here.