Stevens Pass

If you manage to reach continuous snow at upper elevations within the zone, watch for triggering wet avalanches on steep slopes. If you see recent avalanches or find wet, uncohesive snow stick to slopes under 35 degrees. Don't linger under steep slopes or conices where avalanches could come down from above.

Making it to continuous snow in this zone is very difficult. If you manage to reach upper elevations, you should be thinking about wet avalanches and be ready to make your own snowpack and avalanche assessments. If you do, please send us an observation, as we have little information about conditions above 6,000ft.Avalanches are secondary to other hazards and issues facing the Stevens Pass forecast zone. While there's almost no vehicle access into the zone, there's also very limited snow for avalanches. Flooding, washouts, downed trees, damage to Highway 2, and other major roads are limiting access and the information available to produce a forecast.Major rain events since December 4th, culminating with 8.5" of water from December 9-11th, have left little snow below 6,000ft. The last direct observation from upper elevations found over 3 feet of snow on November 28th. On Wednesday, the 10th, Stevens Pass Patrol reported that up to 5,800ft the snow is discontinuous insufficient to produce avalanches.With the warm start to the 25-26 winter season, we have less snowpack information than usual to start daily forecast operations. For zones and elevation bands with less snow than needed for avalanche hazard, we will issue a forecast with No Rating. Anticipated avalanche and weather conditions will still be updated daily. NWAC will issue an avalanche danger rating for a zone when enough snow to produce avalanches has accumulated at middle and upper elevations.