Avalanche forecast

Olympics

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Winds have drifted small amounts of snow near ridgelines, and more drifting is possible again on Friday. Steer around wind-loaded pockets near ridgelines where you could trigger a small avalanche. Also, expect dry snow to warm and shed on sun-affected slopes through midday.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Wind slabs will be primarily limited to more exposed terrain near ridgelines and upper elevations on Friday.  The predominant WSW winds that arrived with the recent snowfall will shift to the SE on Friday.  Signs of recent or active wind transport should guide your plan to steer around suspect features and navigate around areas where you feel punchy layering in the upper snowpack. Recently growing cornices are a sign that deposits may lurk just below the ridge, and you may be able to trigger them on a slope steeper than 35 degrees.

    You may not find slabs in some areas in which case, you just have high quality riding conditions. But be cognisant that recent low-density snow may run with you as a loose dry avalanche on slopes approaching 40 degrees.

    (3/13/2025)

    Small wind slabs were evident below cornices and large wind deposits.

    Photo: ONP Rangers

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    Small wet loose avalanches are likely to originate as snow sheds off trees, rocks, or cliffs during periods of morning and perhaps mid-day sunshine. As rollerballs start to form, adjust your aspect to cooler shaded slopes. Although these avalanches will generally be small, they could push you into a gully or over a cliff.

    Example: Rollerballs like these are a preliminary sign that the snow surface is warming up.

     

    Photo: ONP Rangers

Avalanche Discussion

12-14" of snow sits on mid-elevation N-facing slopes in the Hurricane Ridge area. The most recent round of convective showers arrived in pulses with periods of heavier snow and sun breaks on Thursday, but not enough sunshine to form a crust given the cold temperatures. The new snow is well bonded to a 0.5" thick 3/9 breakable rain crust. ONP rangers found minor reactivity just below recently formed cornices on the ridgelines. The slight weakness involves a slight density change a few inches above the crust, but this did not prove reactive in snowpack or slope tests. While the conditions in the Hurricane Ridge area are stabilizing nicely, conditions may differ in eastern portions of the range.

 

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