Avalanche forecast

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Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 7 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

You may still be able to trigger avalanches in wind-drifted areas or where moist surface snow slides easily. Watch for cracking in drifted snow as a sign to stick to slopes less than 35 degrees. Light snow, wind, and warming temperatures could again bring a new round of small avalanches on Sunday.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Southwest wind and recent snow drifted slabs of 1-1.5 feet deep. Watch for signs such as ongoing blowing snow or cracking in pillow-like drifts to indicate the danger. These slabs formed over slick or weak snow layers and may still be easy to trigger. You can avoid these avalanches by steering around drifts or sticking to wind-sheltered terrain. Keep your distance from fresh cornices, as they can fall and trigger slides.  

    (1/30/2026)

    A natural slab avalanche on a leeward slope. Temperatures were warming, and this may've been triggered by cornice fall. Poster/Pica Peak, NE, 7,200ftSS-N-D1.5-I

     

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    Wet avalanches could still be an issue depending on the moisture of the new snow and the degree of freeze in the top foot of the snowpack. Use quick tests and small test slopes to check how easily the snow slides. Use caution on very steep slopes where a small avalanche could push you into terrain traps like rocks, trees, or creeks. If you're near the snow/rain line, the surface snow will become wet or sticky. Check how easily the snow slides as the day progresses.

    (12/27/2025)

    As the day warms, watch for avalanches where the sun shines.

     

Avalanche Discussion

On Friday and Saturday, observers reported triggering wet avalanches at middle and upper elevations due to rain and warming temperatures. Most of these slides were small. They reported one large natural slab avalanche on a leeward, northerly aspect at upper elevations of Poster/Pica Peak. This may have resulted from a cornice collapse. On Saturday, there was 8-10" of recent snow over the 1/28 crust. 

Before this storm, weak snow and surface hoar were widespread at lower elevations, while upper elevations had a mixture of thick supportable crusts on sunny aspects and breakable crusts on shadier slopes. Observations indicate that the recent snow didn't bond well to the variable old surfaces. As you travel, track the bond at this recent interface using quick hand pits to see how the new snow reacts. If the new snow slides easily as a single cohesive block, you can expect to trigger avalanches. 

Travel conditions have been challenging to say the least. We hope this storm improves conditions, but you should still expect rough surfaces, breakable crusts, and old, frozen rain runnels. Rain and warm snow may soften surface crusts, but it is still advisable to bring equipment to prevent long, sliding falls. Better to have it and not use it than not have it when you need it most. 

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