Avalanche forecast

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

April Fools! We're not done with winter weather yet. You could find dangerous avalanche conditions as you go up in elevation, where wind slabs are thicker and more reactive. The new snow should provide a nice soft canvas, but stick to lower angled slopes higher up, especially if finding signs of instability such as shooting cracks and deep drifts.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    6-12" of new snow along with moderate to strong SW-W winds should create fresh new wind slabs. These could be thicker, larger, and more reactive above treeline. Look for signs of recent wind transport as you gain elevation, especialy as you near ridgelines and cornices. Look and feel for slightly stiffened, cohesive snow. Heed signs of instability such as long shooting cracks and other recent avalanches if you see them. Be wary of steep slopes below cornices, off ridgelines, and near rocks and cliffs.

    Below treeline and outside of wind affected areas, you might still be able to trigger avalanches in the new storm snow, but they're likely to be soft and small. 

    Wind drifts on exposed features like this could be touchy on Saturday.

    Photo: Matt Primomo

Avalanche Discussion

Saturday is a good one to play by ear. Expect what's in the forecast, but be ready to pivot if you're finding weather that's different than anticipated. If you find it's snowing heavily, then expect a quick rise in avalanche danger. For the most part, all of the danger that is developing should be confined to the new snow.

On Friday I went up Jim Hill and did find sudden failures at a late March interface. This same interface was the one that avalanched and caught two people last weekend on Lichtenberg. On Friday though, the grains were rounded, and didn't show potential to propagate with long column tests. This past week an easterly wind event damaged old snow surfaces and, the day of created reactive wind slab. At this point, most snow surfaces that are being covered by the fresh storm are a mixed bag of firm but rough sun crusts, soft wind etched or stiff wind board snow. 

On Monday, NWAC forecasters investigated Sunday's skier-triggered avalanche on Mt Lichtenburg. You can read the original observation HERE and see video below. The skier was the second skier on the slope, and it released above him, catching himself and one other skier parked beneath him. They were partially buried but uninjured. Some weak, faceted snow (late March) was the suspected layer involved in this avalanche. 

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