Avalanche forecast

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 4 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Lots of snow and rain earlier in the week created difficult travel conditions. You may be able to trigger wet avalanches on sunny slopes as the day warms. Watch for areas of unsupportive wet snow on slopes steeper than 35 degrees.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    You may be able to trigger loose wet avalanches on steeper slopes if surfaces soften during the day. Most of the recent snow is wet and saturated. If surface crusts melt and become weak, move to lower angle or shaded slopes. Rollerballs and wet, unsupportive snow are indicators that you could trigger wet avalanches. Upper elevations may have more recent snow available to slide. Wet avalanches could gouge into storm layers, possibly creating a larger avalanche.

    (3/1/2022)

    A very large (D2.5) natural wet avalanche occurred at Stevens Pass Resort while the mountain was closed on the 28th or that night. This ran from Cowboy Ridge onto a groomed run below.  SPMR patrol reported similar natural avalanches widespread throughout much of their terrain.

    Photo: John Meriwether

Avalanche Discussion

Quiet weather and cooling temperatures have allowed the avalanche danger to drop. Heavy snow, rain limited access into the beginning of the week. On Monday, observers reported a natural cycle of widespread slab and wet loose avalanches with multiple slides at size D2.5-3. Check out the avalanche database for more info. From Feb 26th through March 1st the Schmidt Haus weather station at Stevens Pass recorded almost 8" of water equivalent. The first 3" of water brought 28" of snow accumulation into the morning of the 28th. The rest of the precipitation fell as rain at 4,000ft but more snow may have accumulated above 6,000ft. In the past days, light snow and rain fell with shallow accumulation. 

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