Avalanche forecast

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
3 · Considerable
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Highlights

We're coming out of a large natural avalanche cycle, and many slopes may still be awaiting a trigger. Large and destructive avalanches could be initiated from wind loaded areas at upper elevations. Shallow, soft slabs may be triggered on steep, sheltered slopes. Stay off of steep slopes while the snowpack adjusts to the heavy new load.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    2–3

    Intense wind drifting of snow likely occurred Friday afternoon and may continue into early Saturday. This has created thick, and dense wind slabs at upper elevations. Dangerous conditions exist because these slabs may be hanging in the balance, waiting for a trigger. Very large, hard slab avalanches could be initiated from the edges of steep slopes or below. Cornices could collapse if you go near them and trigger very large avalanches. If triggered, these slides could be very wide, and deep.

    Keep your slope angles below 30 degrees. Stay well out from underneath any steep slopes with recent wind loading. Recognize that avalanches could be triggered even after a person or two, or three have been on the slope. 

    (1/7/2022)

    Intense wind drifting of snow observed in the East Central zone on Friday afternoon.

    Photo: Matt Primomo

  • Storm Slabs

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

    We've received a massive amount of storm snow and the pass will pick up several more inches by Saturday. Shallow soft slab avalanches could be triggered in this new snow, or at the interface of the storm snow, which could be very deep. Some slopes may only need a trigger to create a large and surprising avalanche. Stay off of steep slopes while the new snow settles, especially unsupported and convex features.

    Roof avalanches will continue to pose a threat, so use caution and make sure children and pets stay well out from underneath areas of concern.

    (1/5/2022)

    Example small storm slabs.

    Photo: Trautman

Avalanche Discussion

There is minimal access to most of the zone as Highway 2 is closed. Cleanup is expected to take some time from all of the avalanches and heavy new snow that have covered the road. On Friday WSDOT crews reported triggering D3.5 avalanches on the pass with control work. They observed natural avalanches in the D2.5 size range, some of which had occurred recently, and some had occurred on Thursday. On Thursday, they reported multiple avalanches at least D3 in size hitting the closed highway west of Stevens Pass. In a portion of Tumwater Canyon, over 30 debris piles up to 15 feet deep were reported. Tumwater Canyon remains sealed up. 

Before the storm, observers noted a couple of buried layers of large, faceted stellars and surface hoar. These layers are probably 3-5ft down at this point, and could be weak layers for slab avalanches.

Stay tuned as the saga of this epic storm unravels, and be sure to share your observations with us on the site here.

 

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