Avalanche forecast

Southern Wallowas

Wallowa Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 4 years ago.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

Highlights

Isolated areas hold the potential to trigger a large avalanche failing on weak snow that sits under a slab. Avoid shallow snowpack areas where a crust, weak snow, and a slab exist. To find this layer you need to dig into the snowpack, if you don't have these skills, avoid terrain steeper than 30 degrees in terrain that could harbor this buried weak layer.

This forecast is sponsored by Wallowa County Gamblers Snowmobile Club | Enterprise OR | Facebook

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    Isolated areas in the Northern Wallowas hold the potential to trigger a large avalanche failing on weak snow that sits under a slab.   To avoid this avalanche look out for: shallow snowpack areas (less than 4 feet of total snow), trigger points when in terrain greater than 35 degrees (steep convex rollovers and rocky zones), and areas that harbor a stout crust with weak snow around the crust and a slab above.  

    Check out the recent observation from the Chief Joseph area here.

     

Avalanche Discussion

Today will be a generally quiet day in the mountains. A trace of new snow over the last 24 hours and some light to moderate winds may have created shallow isolated wind deposits. As the day progresses winds,  precipitation, and the snow level will all increase. These factors will contribute to a slow increase in the avalanche danger as the day progresses.  While the greatest risk is currently a persistent slab avalanche, watch for the rise of new snow, wind, and temperature-related avalanches as the day goes on.

 

Regions covered