Avalanche forecast

Mt Hood

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Persistent winds will continue to build slabs of wind drifted snow in exposed areas.  The most dangerous avalanche conditions will exist at mid and upper elevations, specifically on the lee sides of ridges and the upper mountain. Avoid steep wind drifted slopes at these elevations.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Significant new snow (over 25 inches and counting) and steady southwest winds will continue to move snow at mid and upper elevations.  Forecasts suggest that the precipitation lingers into Thursday, with another 8-12 inches of new snow possible.  Strong southwest winds will continue to redistribute this snow into fresh drifts and slabs. 

    Visual clues such as active drifting, cornice development, and smooth, dense, and rounded ‘pillows’ of snow are good indicators of wind slab development. The thickest and most reactive slabs will be found at near and above treeline, specifically on the lee side of ridgelines.  Expect these new slabs to be reactive and easily triggered. 

    Slab depths in heavily loaded areas could easily be 3 feet deep. These slides won’t be huge, but they will be big enough to ruin your day and traveling very cautiously around leeward upper elevation start zones is a good idea.

    Cornices are great indicators of potentially wind -loaded terrain beneath. 

    Photo: Joe Dellaporta

  • Storm Slabs

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

    With another 1’ of precipitation forecasted, storm slabs may start developing. Although these areas won’t be as touchy, or as dangerous as areas exposed to the wind, you will want to look for signs of unstable snow below treeline. Cracking, collapsing, and small avalanches on test slopes are good signs that reactive slabs are forming in the new snow.  This is a great day to use quick pits and ECT’s to assess the snow you are traveling in.  

     

Avalanche Discussion

Mount Hood picked up over 2 feet of new snow since yesterday.  As a result, Wednesday was a dynamic day to be traveling on the mountain.  The Mt Hood Meadows Pro Patrol found very reactive conditions while completing avalanche control work.  They reported triggering widespread D1- D1.5 soft slabs with crowns failing 2’ deep within the new snow.  Other observers in the Vista Ridge area also found a reactive snowpack with multiple column tests failing on isolation within the new snow. 

Leading up to this storm, shallow conditions existed in many lower elevation areas.  Don’t let all the new snow obscure the reality of possible hazards such as open creeks or shallowly buried trees and stumps. 

Regions covered