Avalanche forecast

Mt Hood

Northwest Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Tue
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Light new snow and steady wind speeds will maintain dangerous avalanche conditions around Mt. Hood. You’ll find the most dangerous conditions in wind-loaded terrain, but still be suspicious of steep convexities on sparsely treed slopes.  Reduce your exposure by sticking to well-supported terrain and steer around wind-drifted snow. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1.5–2.5

    Trickles of new snow and steady southwest winds have built wind slabs ranging in depth and distribution around Mt Hood. Below 6000 ft, wind slabs will be softer and potentially easy to trigger, but as you crest above this look for slabs to become denser and more consequential. 

    While you'll likely find the thickest slabs on leeward east aspects, don't underestimate west aspects either. Forecasters have found these slabs all over the compass rose in the past days. So with this in mind, use visual clues like blowing snow or textured surfaces to help you pinpoint wind-loaded features. Dunes, ripples, and sharp cornices are all clear signs that wind-stiffened slabs lurk nearby. 

    Some of these wind slabs may not act like your standard PNW-style either. The distribution of this weak, faceted snow has been incredibly variable around Mt Hood. Quick hand pits and test slopes may not paint the full picture, especially across larger terrain features. The best strategy to deal with this uncertainty will be to avoid steep wind-loaded slopes altogether, especially if you notice shooting cracks or hear audible whumphs under your feet or machine. 

    (2/1/2025)

    Blowing snow, fresh drifts, sharp cornices, and rime all point towards wind loading along this ridgeline. 

    Photo: Dallas Glass

  • Storm Slabs

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

    We have a lot of new snow in sheltered terrain that rests over variable surfaces. You may still be able to trigger avalanches within the new storm snow or more concerning, on facets from our January drought. Be especially suspicious of mid-elevation convexities  that are sparsely treed.  You can manage this problem by sticking to lower-angled terrain and avoiding steep, convex rollovers. 

    (2/2/2025)

    A storm slab that failed on the January Drought Layer at Alpental on Sunday. 

    Photo: Summit at Snoqualmie Professional Patrol

Avalanche Discussion

Low-density snow is stacking up in the Hood zone.  So far, weather stations have reported 12-15 inches of new snow around Mt. Hood. Monday will be a cold day with plenty of fluffy, cold snow. However, keep in mind that this snow fell over a uniquely weak and variable snowpack. We’re unsure how this load will bond to the old surfaces around Mt Hood, but it may be wise to increase your margins this week and not run your normal playbook. 

On Saturday, Avalanche professionals in the Heather Canyon and the Pea Gravel Ridge area found a reactive snowpack above 5500 ft. The Mt. Hood Meadows Pro Patrol reported triggering numerous large hard slab avalanches in wind-drifted snow during avalanche mitigation work. One of these avalanches even broke up to 7 ft deep and propagated widely in heavily loaded alpine terrain ( NE @ 6900 ft). NWAC forecasters traveling on Pea Gravel Ridge also reported shallow, reactive wind slabs and found the new snow poorly bonded to the late January crust. In snowpack tests they found the new snow failing easily on and below the crust. Notably, this weak-faceted snow showed the ability to propagate with PSTs. 

Let us know what you see by submitting a public observation.

Regions covered