Avalanche forecast

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

You can trigger slab avalanches where the wind drifts the recent storm snow at upper elevations. Small, wet loose avalanches remain possible on sun-exposed slopes. Expect the wind to increase, and weak sun will continue to warm the recent snow.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    You may still be able to trigger wet avalanches on slopes steeper than 35 degrees, especially above 5,000ft. Watch for signs of instability, like fresh avalanches and rollerballs, that indicate you could trigger an avalanche. Anticipate the chances of triggering avalanches and move to lower-angle slopes to avoid them.

    (3/24/2024)

    A wet loose avalanche on the Rooster Comb, adjacent to Stevens Pass ski area.

    NNE, 5,200ft

    Photo: Willie Webster

  • Wind Slabs

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

    You can trigger small avalanches on the leeward sides of ridges at upper elevations. Watch for signs such as active wind-transported snow, cracks shooting away from your feet, or feeling stiffer snow surfaces. Steer around drifts and stiff pillows of snow on slopes over 35 degrees.

    The wind will increase, and gusts will be strong enough to form fresh slabs in the snow that fell since Friday night. The snow on sun-exposed slopes may no longer be light enough to transport. 

    (1/19/2024)

    A skier breaks off a chunk of a freshly drifted slab. Skyline areas, ENE, 5,300ft

    Photo: Josh Hirshberg

Avalanche Discussion

On Monday, expect ongoing westerly wind and increasing clouds, with light precipitation.

On Sunday, observers reported shallow, wet loose avalanches up to size D1.5. Stevens Pass picked up 4-6" of snow by Sunday morning, which was warm and moist on all aspects at middle and lower elevations. Below 5,000ft, the precipitation may have been mostly wet snow or rain, while above 6,000ft, you'll likely find deeper, drier accumulation. The new snow rests on moist melt forms and crusts.

The upper snowpack is slowly gaining strength but has yet to see substantial freezes after a week-long warming event. On the 22nd, an NWAC forecaster on Skyline Ridge reported a supportable crust in open terrain. The crust was softer and more variable at the lowest elevations and in the trees. As the subsurface crust grows stronger, we have less concern about older, weak layers deep in the snowpack. At this point, we think an avalanche failing on or just above the Early February Crust would be very unlikely. If you were to encounter this problem, it would probably take a large trigger and/or occur in higher-elevation terrain in the eastern portion of the zone. 

We’re at the tail end of a prolonged warm period. Numerous wet avalanches occurred throughout the zone. You’ll probably find piles of debris and frozen rollerballs on and just below many steep slopes, regardless of aspect and elevation.

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