Avalanche Forecast

Not much is expected in the way of avalanche danger at Mt. Hood on Monday. Early season hazards still exist. Many creek beds have still not filled in for the winter.  

Small loose wet avalanches are possible in isolated areas Monday due to mild freezing levels and partial clearing. Take care in steep extreme terrain exposed to terrain traps.  

Isolated pockets of shallow wind slab may exist above treeline on lee slopes.  

Warm temperatures on Sunday and spotty light rain or snow did little to change the overall low avalanche danger on Mt. Hood. On Saturday, temperatures cooled and winds eased but there was little new snow at the tail end of Friday's system. 

Several rain and freezing rain crusts are sandwiched in the upper snowpack depending on elevation. Current observations do not suggest these layers to be reactive.

Observations

On Sunday, the Mt. Hood Meadows patrol reported that the surface crust was softening at all elevations in their area. 

NWAC pro-observer Laura Green was in the Bennett Pass area of the White River drainage on Saturday up to 6100 ft.  Laura found challenging travel conditions with a surface crust of variable strength and no notable layers of concern in the upper snowpack.  No new avalanche activity was observed.