Olympics

The snowpack has generally responded well to an atypical early-season warm spell. If you spot a glide crack, limit your exposure below these features, as they may fail without warning. Travel cautiously as early-season hazards remain in the terrain, particularly at lower elevations.

Most of November was cool and winter-like, but the past week has been quite the opposite.  High pressure has dominated the last 7 days with initially cool and dry weather shifting to warm and dry. The snowpack has consolidated about 0.5" per day consistently. This gradual consolidation resulted in settlement rather than abrupt changes (and avalanches). The Hurricane Ridge snowpack is generally around 2 ft deep, with 35" or so on N-facing aspects.

As of 12/5, ONP Rangers found that even on N aspects at middle elevations, 0.8" of moist snow exists on the surface. Below that, you'll find around 8" of drier snow sitting above a friable trap crust. Below that the snowpack increases in density to the ground. 

Since Sunday, there has been a small glide avalanche on a grassy road cut (image in the gallery). Note the telltale crack beside it that might have indicated the potential for a glide avalanche even before it released without warning. While we don't expect many of these glides in the terrain around Hurricane Ridge, deeper snowpack areas in the Olympics could have more risk. Stay out from under the "brown frown" of glide cracks until the snowpack has time to freeze solidly.

Early season hazards remain in the terrain. South-facing exposures have lost significant coverage during the warm-up. Trees are now icy. And open areas have more spring-like "powder." With more mild temperatures and even a slight chance of light rainfall, expect the snow to get even heavier underfoot on Friday. Although we don't expect significant changes from Thursday, if you do find that the saturated snow extends more than 3-4" deep, consider steering away from steep or unsupported slopes where you might trigger a small loose avalanche that would be more hazardous given the shallow conditions.

Prepare for abruptly changing weather and a sharp rise in avalanche danger Friday night. The Olympics will initially receive moderate to heavy rain, instigating wet snow avalanche problems, followed by a transition to dry snow avalanche problems sometime on Saturday. There is a potential for some natural avalanche activity before winter conditions return as the day progresses on Saturday and slabs build above a refreezing upper snowpack.

2024-2025 Forecast Schedule

NWAC will issue an avalanche forecast every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and every holiday mid-week day the Hurricane Ridge Road is open from December until the end of March.  We will issue Avalanche Watches or Warnings when conditions warrant.  We will not update the non-holiday midweek discussion.  Our mountain weather forecasts will continue to cover the Olympics and are issued twice a day through the end of April.  If you have questions or feedback, please contact us at [email protected] and [email protected]. 

If you're out in the snow, share your observations with us and your local backcountry community.