Avalanche forecast

Northern Wallowas

Wallowa Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 6 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Human-triggered avalanches remain likely, especially where stiff drifts of wind-blown snow rest above weaker snow. Triggering a wind slab could result in a large avalanche, as weak snow has been found 2-3 feet beneath the snow surface. Look for simple terrain and avoid traveling beneath steep slopes.  Small wet avalanches are likely in very steep, rocky terrain facing the sun. 

Today's forecast is sponsored by: Wallowa County SAR

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    A fresh batch of wind slabs developed with the storm that occurred February 23-24th. Numerous natural wind slab avalanches were reported in the Northern and Southern Wallowas yesterday by forecasters. 

    Look for clues to wind slab development:  A stiff and rippled texture, snow stripped terrain upwind of loaded slopes, cornice development, and fresh dunes of snow drifts.   Avoid wind-loaded slopes steeper than 30 degrees.  

    (2/25/2026)

    Chief Joseph Mountain 

    Photo: Caleb Merrill

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2.5

    The Valentine's Buried Surface Hoar layer, along with weak faceted snow around the 2/8 interface, has been found in the upper 3 feet of the snowpack. If you trigger a slab avalanche on either or both of these fragile weak layers, you will likely produce a large to very large avalanche. Unfortunately, you will likely not observe Red Flag warnings to alert you that weak snow is beneath you. This is not an avalanche problem that can be managed, like smaller storm and wind slabs.

    Sticking to simple terrain and avoiding traveling beneath steep slopes is our best advice. Continue to monitor the observations and read the entire forecast daily. This problem is not going to go away overnight, and trying to outsmart it could be dangerous.

    (2/25/2026)

    Photo taken from the Elkhorns, where the Valentine's buried surface hoar layer was found in numerous locations and reactive in snowpack tests.

    Photo: Victor McNeil

Avalanche Discussion

The likelihood of triggering a large, destructive avalanche will increase as you enter terrain where a slab has formed over weaker snow.  

Snowpack structure can vary from one drainage to another. This can influence the complexity of managing our persistent slab problem.  Remember that elevation bands are not definite boundaries; for example, the interior typically receives more snow and less wind than the perimeter. Use the forecast as a starting point, but continue assessing conditions as you travel.    

Careful snowpack evaluation and conservative decisions will be critical in the coming weeks, given the continued possibility of overlapping new (wind and storm) and old snow problems (buried surface hoar and/or January facets). Choosing low-consequence terrain will be the key to successfully managing these hazards. 

If you are out in the mountains, please send us an observation of what you saw. All observations are noteworthy and greatly help the forecasters. If you don't want everyone to see where you went, you can set it to private so only the forecasters will see it. 

Beacon Parks: Thank you to everyone who helped establish the beacon training park at Anthony Lakes (across from the ski lift on Mud Lake) and near the warming shelter at Salt Creek Summit snopark outside of Joseph, OR. These are free tools that we should all take advantage of.  

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