Avalanche forecast

Southern Wallowas

Wallowa Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Out of date — this forecast expired 5 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Avalanche danger will rise as a storm approaches and drops up to 15" of snow by Friday night.  Winds slabs will become a greater issue near and above treeline.  These are two Red Flags we don't want to mess with.  Considerable avalanche danger means dangerous avalanche conditions.  Careful snowpack evaluation cautious route-finding and conservative decision making essential.  Watch this video for a greater explanation.   

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–3

    Moderate winds, with strong gusts and significant snow available for transport, will produce touchy wind slabs near and above treeline.  You don't want to interact with a wind slab and use extreme caution approaching a slope that may have wind loading higher up in the terrain.  Wind slabs often appear as dunes, large drifts, and produce shooting cracks.  Watch this video to learn more.  Take a look at Caleb Merrill's pro observation from the past three days in the Northern Wallowas.  

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–3

    I hate to say this, but this storm cycle has a possibility of awakening an old enemy.  Every time we see a large load added to our marginal snowpack structure we need to use considerable caution.  The most likely terrain you might trigger one of these giants is near and above treeline, where there are more trigger points (rocks, trees) and less overall snow.  This puts us closer to the weak snow near the bottom of the snowpack.  With so much uncertainty, our best bet is to stick to low angle tree skiing this coming weekend or go to Fergi.  

Avalanche Discussion

I hate to say this, but this storm cycle has a possibility of awakening an old enemy.  Every time we see a large load added to our marginal snowpack structure we need to use considerable caution.  The most likely terrain you might trigger one of these giants is near and above treeline, where there are more trigger points (rocks, trees) and less overall snow.  This puts us closer to the weak snow near the bottom of the snowpack.  With so much uncertainty, our best bet is to stick to low angle tree skiing this coming weekend or go to Fergi.  

Regions covered