Avalanche forecast

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago.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

Highlights

Another day of sun and warm temperatures will make it easy to trigger wet avalanches on many steep slopes. Check how much the snow freezes overnight, and move to lower-angle terrain when surfaces become wet and weak. Manage overhead hazards by limiting your time under steep, sunny slopes and cornices. 

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    As the snowpack becomes wet and weak, you could trigger wet avalanches. Avalanches will start on east aspects early in the day and show up on westerly aspects later. If you start seeing rollerballs or natural avalanches, it's time to move to lower-angle or more shaded terrain.

    We expect most avalanches to be triggered rather than naturally occurring. We also expect most of them to be small. It may become easy to trigger avalanches on the west, through north, and east aspects at mid-elevations. The early April crust is 1 foot below the surface at 5,000ft. You could encounter larger and deeper avalanches if it becomes unsupportive to boots. These could also be initiated by cornices or large chunks of snow shedding off rock features. 

    (4/12/2024)

    A small (D1) intentionally triggered wet avalanche was 4-5" deep. Skyline Ridge, NNE, 5,280ft

    Photo: Josh Hirshberg

Avalanche Discussion

Sunday will be the third day of very warm temperatures and minimal freeze overnight. In the past two days, reported avalanche activity has slowed. Observers reported a number of avalanches in the recent snow on the 9th and 10th. While there were a couple of larger avalanches, most were small, wet, loose avalanches. Some small, drier storm and wind slab avalanches were reported on Tuesday. Up to 1 foot of snow accumulated by the 9th. Below 4,500 feet, there was little accumulation as most of the precipitation was liquid.

You may find what remains of multiple crusts in the upper 1-2 feet of the snowpack. Upper-elevation northerly aspects may hold frozen, recent crusts and more dry snow within surface layers. Much of the snowpack is moist and unfrozen at low and middle elevations. Also, there, snowlines are rapidly receding, and open creeks and holes are appearing. Many areas below 4,000ft lack enough snow for winter travel or avalanches.

This is the last avalanche forecast for the 23/24 season. NWAC will continue issuing mountain weather forecasts each afternoon at 2:30 pm through April 28. We’d like to thank each of you for reading and using these forecasts to make informed safe decisions and for contributing to your community by submitting observations. Please continue to help support your backcountry friends by letting others know what you find in the mountains. Have a wonderful spring and summer!

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