Avalanche forecast

Mount Shasta

Mount Shasta Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired 6 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Strong northerly winds continue to move snow near and above treeline. Small human-triggered avalanches are possible in wind-drifted areas. Choose wind-scoured or mellower terrain to minimize this hazard. Keep an eye out for small wet snow instabilities on sunny slopes as the day progresses. Be prepared for variable travel conditions, including firm, icy surfaces. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5

    Strong northerly winds will continue to transport dry snow into slabs near and above treeline. Yesterday, wind slabs up to 15 inches deep were observed on leeward terrain features. While most slabs are expected to remain stubborn to human triggers, some may be reactive, especially in areas where buried graupel layers exist within the drifted snow. Even small wind slabs can knock you off your feet and be dangerous in extreme terrain.

    Travel advice:

    • You are most likely to encounter the problem on steep (>35 degrees) leeward slopes - especially below ridgelines or moraine tops, around rock outcrops, and in gullies.
    • The distribution of wind slabs across terrain below 9,000 feet is spotty - you can easily find yourself with one foot on solid crust and one foot on a wind slab. Pay attention to clues like blowing snow and pillow-shaped surface textures to alert you to wind-drifted pockets and consider avoiding them in high-consequence terrain. 
    • Give cornices on ridgelines a wide berth.
    • Use small test slopes to evaluate the sensitivity of wind slabs. Shooting cracks are a clear sign of unstable snow. If you see them, opt for conservative or wind-scoured terrain.

    (3/5/2026)

    A skier-initiated shooting crack on a wind-drifted feature near treeline. This slab failed about five inches deep on a layer of graupel. Southwest, 8,100 feet. 

    Photo: Christian Jordan

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    Keep an eye out for unstable wet surface snow on steep (>35 degrees), solar aspects near and above treeline as the day progresses and temperatures warm. If this problem develops, it should be limited to wind-sheltered slopes under rocky terrain features where more than a few inches of drifted soft snow exists. Widespread crusts should not soften to the point of instability today. Most areas below treeline lack enough soft snow to create the potential for wet loose problems. 

    If you observe signs that the snow surface is losing strength, such as fresh rollerballs or sinking into wet snow, move to mellower or shadier slopes.

Avalanche Discussion

The recent wet slab problem has been removed as wet slab avalanches on deeply buried graupel layers are unlikely. Still, some uncertainty remains given the difficulty in predicting these events and the interaction of pooling meltwater and buried weak layers. 

This season has been defined by warm temperatures and high snow levels that have left most terrain below 6,000 feet with a shallow, or non-existent, snowpack. Many creeks are running freely on the west side of the forecast area at Castle Lake and in the Eddy Mountains, which present a navigation hazard. Check out the recent observations for conditions updates from around the area. Mount Shasta City remains above normal for water year precipitation (since October 1st).

Climbing: Despite the sunny weather in the forecast, it’s still winter. A winter ascent of Mount Shasta is a very different undertaking compared to the friendlier conditions of spring. Extreme winds with negative wind chills are forecast on the upper mountain today and tomorrow. Expect variable snow surfaces and be prepared for icy, slide-for-life conditions. A full mountaineering kit is essential: 12-point crampons (NOT microspikes), ice axe, and helmet, and the skills to use them proficiently. See the full Climbing Advisory page for more details about climbing Mount Shasta. 

The final Know Before You Go and Rescue Clinics of the season are this weekend. We hope to see you there!

Regions covered