Avalanche forecast

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired last year. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

On Sunday, cooler temperatures will help the avalanche danger ease, but there will still be a chance for wet avalanches. Large cornices, chunks of snow, or even glide avalanches could naturally fall down from steep terrain. Don't linger under steep, overhead terrain, and if you find wet, weak snow move to slopes less than 35 degrees. 

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Be aware of avalanches coming from overhead terrain. They may run naturally from above. If you see fresh rollerballs or avalanches, move to lower-angle slopes. While we don't expect many avalanches, the ones that occur could be large. They could also involve cornice falls, glide avalanches, or other more dangerous wet flavors. 

    We're just coming out of a prolonged warm-up and the snow surface may not freeze solidly. Temperatures will still be above freezing on Sunday, though significantly cooler than the highs of 50F degrees that we saw on Friday and Saturday. Consider the consequences of a large glide avalanche or cornice fall. While these may be less likely, the consequences could be severe. Avoid lingering underneath glide cracks, snow covered cliffs, or overhung cornices. These overhead hazards run naturally and are more dangerous than typical loose wet avalanches.

    (2/24/2025)

    Loose wet avalanche (D2) on Lichtenberg Mtn

    Photo: Josh Hirshberg

Avalanche Discussion

Preliminary Report: On Friday, February 28, three snowmobilers were riding near Harts Pass in the East North zone when they triggered a large slab avalanche. Two riders were caught and carried. One rider was fully buried and killed. The other was partially buried and injured. NWAC is working with local avalanche professionals to conduct an investigation. Our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and community. (NE, 6,800ft HS-AM-D2.5-R4-O)

Observers reported large wet avalanches in the last few days. On the 1st, an observer in the Chiwaukum Mtns got great views of widespread avalanches from the past week on the eastern edge of the zone. On the 28th, Observers reported large wet loose avalanches near Lake Valhalla and in the Fluer de Lis area in the sidecountry adjacent to Stevens Pass Ski Area.

From Feb. 21-25th, the Stevens Pass zone received over 5 inches of water, 1.5 inches of which was snow above 4000ft on Tuesday. There is now about 2 feet of snow over the 2/24 melt-freeze crust. 

On the 26th, an NWAC forecaster near Stevens Pass got the first post-storm look at upper elevation terrain and observed very large crowns and cornice failures above 6000ft on Rock Mountain and Nason Ridge. They also reported a widespread wet loose avalanche cycle during the day. The reactive storm interfaces from Tuesday were strengthening, but there may be lingering instabilities in very steep, unsupported slopes and confined alpine features. If you use this warm sunny weather to get into the upper elevations, enter more complex terrain cautiously and make frequent assessments before committing to more consequential routes in wind-affected terrain. 

Older observations highlight the widespread wet avalanche cycle that began on Saturday during the atmospheric river. We suspect the rain/snow line over the weekend hovered between 5000 and 6000ft. Many large and very large wet avalanches were reported along the HWY 2 corridor and outside of the Stevens Pass Ski Area.  We are still cataloging this avalanche cycle, so let us know what you see by submitting an observation!

Regions covered