Avalanche forecast

East Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 6 months ago.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

You can trigger small avalanches at middle and upper elevations. Watch for areas of drifted and wind-stiffened snow, where you can trigger very shallow slab avalanches. Where you find light, uncohesive surface snow, you may be trigger fast-moving loose avalanches on very steep slopes. 

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Dry

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5

    Natural and human-triggered loose avalanches could be fast-running on an older melt-freeze crust on slopes near 40 degrees. While they may be small and predictable, they could push them into gullies, trees, or cliffs. Observers have reported these slides are entraining all the recent snow and running long distances. If you observe long-running sluffs, practice good terrain management, stop out of the runouts in steep terrain, and use extra caution around consequential terrain. 

    (2/7/2025)

    An example of natural loose dry avalanches on a sunny slope near Washington Pass.

    Photo: NCH

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    Wind slab avalanches will be shallow (4-6" deep) and may be isolated to favored peaks and drainages. If you do find recently drifted snow, it may be easy to trigger an avalanche. Take time to feel for stiffer snow and look for surface texture. You should be able to keep from triggering slides by steering around steep roll-overs or staying off of aprons under cliffs. 

    On the 18th, gusty winds were just strong enough to drift fresh slabs in select areas of the range. Observers on Silver Star Mtn triggered numerous small pockets of wind slab at middle elevations on north and northeast aspects.

    (2/8/2026)

    An example of an older skier triggered wind slab avalanche (D1) on Snagtooth Peak (S of Silverstar). 8" thick, 50ft wide, ran 300ft. 8,000ft, NE

Avalanche Discussion

On Thursday, you can expect more cold temperatures, light wind, and a dusting of snow at Washington Pass. Pack extra warm layers to prepare for the cold temperatures. Since last weekend, observers have reported a few rounds of small wind slab avalanches and more widespread dry loose slides. While conditions aren't overly dangerous, there's enough to warrant caution to stay safe.

Layers beneath the upper 6-10" of the snowpack aren't contributing to the current danger. That could change with a significant storm. If/when that happens, the primary focus would be facets and surface hoar 4-6" deep, along with the ongoing weakening of the overlying snow. All of that is resting on the February 7th crust 6-8" below the surface. Overall, the upper snowpack has poor structure, consisting of a few crusts with adjacent and sandwiched layers of weak snow in between. The January 28th crust is thicker and now 10-16" below the surface.  Further west of Washington Pass, the crusts may be even thicker, and they'll very likely be deeper. Farther east, like in the Chewuch and Twisp River drainages, the snowpack is shallower and weaker. Crusts have become faceted on shady aspects, with the upper 2/7 crust barely discernible in some northerly terrain.

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