Avalanche forecast

Mt Hood

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

Significant redistribution of snow onto unusual W aspects will create sensitive slabs that you can easily trigger on Friday. Slabs will increase in size as your exposure to the elements increases. Avoid all steep, wind-loaded terrain above treeline and steer around pockets of wind-drifted snow near ridgelines and on cross-loaded features at lower elevations.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    E winds continued to transport significant amounts of low-density storm snow (over 2 ft) that piled up above the 2/20 crust. Slabs increase in depth, width, and overall hazard as you ascend in elevation. In the above treeline terrain, most will be large. Winds increased late Thursday and slabs could be more reactive as a result on Friday. Although winds should be decreasing by Friday, the damage has been done. Note cracking snow surfaces and probe for punchy layering near the snow surfaces. Steer around areas of textured or rippled snow surfaces and cross-loaded features. Pay attention along the west slopes of ridgelines, particularly under areas of recent cornice growth, where slabs may be ripe for human trigger.  When in doubt, travel safely along ridgelines or slopes less than 35 degrees.

     

    (2/23/2023)

    Widespread cracking snow surfaces on W aspects near ridgeline (Tom, Dick, and Harry).

    Photo: Joe Dellaporta

Avalanche Discussion

Avalanche Fatality: Colchuck Pk, East Central Zone: Read the preliminary report here.

Friday will start with temperatures in the single digits (bundle up!). In less wind-affected terrain, you may be able to trigger a dry loose avalanche on a slope approaching 40 degrees. These could catch you off guard in high-consequence terrain. As temperatures moderate by the afternoon, rollerballs and snow shedding off rocks or trees should remind you to seek shaded terrain before small wet loose avalanches catch you on SW-S-SE aspects.

Mt Hood overproduced and picked up over 26-30 inches or more of low-density snow (6% density) at the Meadows plot. The storm snow is well bonded to the 1-2 cm thick 2/20 crust (which may become a new/old snow interface at higher elevations). Avalanche concerns are currently limited to the snow above the 2/20 interface. If you are traveling in an area where the 2/20 interface is thin or disappears, you may want to investigate the snowpack further. Observers on Thursday reported increasing wind transport and sensitive slabs in the lee of ridgelines around Tom, Dick, and Harry. Widespread wind-affected snow was also present at Timberline Resort. Mt. Hood Meadows triggered a handful of 8-24" storm slabs with explosives but reported minimal slab propagation. Dry loose avalanches were not running as far or as fast as they were on Wednesday after some snow consolidation.

If you get out, let us know what you see by submitting a public observation.

 

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