Mount Shasta

Avalanche problems

• 

  Cornices

  N

  NE

  E

  SE

  S

  SW

  W

  NW

  • Alpine
  • Treeline
  • Below treeline

  Likelihood

  Unlikely

  Size

  1–1.5

  Cornice fall will remain a problem today, albeit unlikely. Over the last five days, forecasters have witnessed numerous large, collapsed or sagging cornices on all aspects. The largest cornices tend to be on north facing terrain, where some are as large as small school buses. If these cornices fail, they have the potential to crush/kill someone below, and trigger a subsequent wet avalanche. The best way to avoid this issue is limiting your exposure. While travelling along ridge lines, step extra far back from the cornice edge. When failure occurs, cornices notoriously pull snow further back than expected. If you need to travel under a cornice, move fast and don't stop directly underneath.

  

• 

  Loose Wet

  N

  NE

  E

  SE

  S

  SW

  W

  NW

  • Alpine
  • Treeline
  • Below treeline

  Likelihood

  Unlikely

  Size

  1–1.5

  Today's temperatures are expected to be significantly cooler than the previous days, making wet loose activity unlikely. That being said, wet avalanche activity isn't impossible. The problem is most likely during peak daytime temperatures, on southerly aspects below and near treeline. Any activity is expected to be small, D1.5 or less, but still capable of carrying someone into consequential terrain. On your travels, keep your eye out for signs of warming surface snow such as sticky snow surfaces, roller balls on steep terrain, and wet loose avalanches on test slopes. As these signs become more prevalent, consider moving off of steep slopes.