Avalanche forecast

East Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Look for blowing snow along the higher peaks and ridgelines to help you tease out where fresh wind slabs may be forming.  Another dose of sunshine along with slightly warmer temperatures will increase the potential for small wet loose avalanches on very steep sunny slopes.  

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Alpine winds out of the NW should increase Friday night and Saturday, moving recent storm snow onto lee aspects near and below ridgelines and forming fresh and generally shallow wind slabs. 

    Blowing snow will help you identify which aspects are actively being loaded.  Other clues like long shooting cracks, new or recently formed cornices, or observing stiffer snow as you enter more exposed and higher elevation terrain will help you identify where wind slabs may have formed.  If you're unsure, stick to lower angle and more sheltered terrain away from ridgelines.

    (2/9/2024)

    Skiers triggered a very small (6" deep) windslab avalanche that ran on the 1/31 crust. Copper Creek, SE, 7200ft

    Photo: Harry Keane

  • Loose Wet

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

    Saturday will likely feature a fair bit of sunshine along with slightly warmer temperatures.  You may see or trigger small wet loose avalanches on very steep sunny slopes.  These avalanches should be easy to manage.  If you're in sunny terrain and you find the snow surface becoming moist or wet, see signs of rollerball, pinwheels, or natural wet loose avalanches releasing from steep rocky terrain, then it's time to avoid very steep terrain that's similar in aspect. 

    You'll especially want to avoid triggering a wet loose avalanche near terrain traps like cliffs and above areas with exposed obstacles like rocks, trees, etc.  Small wet loose avalanches could run further than you expect above a firm crust.  At elevations and where you find deeper amounts of recent storm snow above the 1/31 crust, wet loose avalanches could become larger and entrain more snow.  

    Wet loose avalanches releasing from very steep terrain on a S aspect of Rock Mtn, 6400ft. 

    Photo: Brooke Maushund, March 2023.

Avalanche Discussion

The East North zone experienced a fair bit of sunshine on Friday.  While generally safe conditions were reported in many areas and elevations, long shooting cracks and a small skier triggered wind slab were reported in the Washington Pass area at 7300' on a SE aspect. 

NWAC forecasters and avalanche professionals hit the ground on Thursday to take a look at our snowpack post-atmospheric river event. They traveled to Willow Creek, Cutthroat Creek, and the West Fork of Cedar. On average, they found 8-10"(20-25cm) of well-settled recent storm snow over the stout and supportable 1/31 crust (early February crust in nearby zones). The depth varied throughout the terrain, with lower elevations having as little as 2" and favored upper elevation terrain containing as much as 1.5' (45cm). The storm snow was found to have a reasonably good bond to the underlying surface but did show some signs of instability on steep, unsupported features. Small facets were found in some locations above the 1/31 crust and bear watching moving forward.

Another positive takeaway from the day is that we feel more confident putting our persistent weak layers (early January facets and the December facet/crust) to bed. NWAC and avalanche professionals dug multiple pits and found that these layers had seen water percolation during the atmospheric river event. Deep tap tests did not produce notable results. With the 1/31 crust measuring 6-12" on average, a stout crust should help put our minds at ease for the time being.  Observations continue to be limited from Hart's Pass and the eastern mountains. If you're traveling in these areas, let us know what you find by submitting an observation.

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