East Slopes South

While generally, a low likelihood for avalanches exists, you may be able to trigger small avalanches in lingering pockets of wind drifted snow. These unstable pockets of snow are likely isolated to high elevations in very steep terrain features. Use caution in this steep terrain, where even small avalanches could cause consequential falls through rocks or cliffs. 

Wednesday may be a mild sunny day in the mountains. Closer to the crest, there is a chance of some morning snow flurries. Moderate winds over the last two days may have left some lingering, stubborn wind slabs in very steep, isolated terrain features. Wind blown snow collects at the base of cliffs and on slopes below ridges. Look for actively blowing snow at ridgelines and use visual clues such as cornices and wind drifts to identify likely wind loaded areas. As you approach wind-exposed alpine terrain, use your probe to feel for stiff snow over soft snow. We expect most of these avalanches to be small, but they could also take you for a ride through rocks or over a cliff. 

I was out enjoying some early season riding conditions near Darland Mountain on Friday. Grooming operations have yet to begin in Ahtanum State Forest, but travel on the roads was smooth. While coverage is much better, it's still early season, so expect rocks and bushes to be just under the surface. With so many things to hit, I did not venture far from established roads.

About 10 inches of snow exists at the trailhead, and the recent storm snow from 11/29 is the entirety of the snowpack until you travel above 5600ft. I found around 3 feet of snow at 6250ft in the sheltered terrain at Clover Flats. The upper snowpack consists of primarily low density storm snow. The base of the snowpack is a mixed bag of strong crusts and increasingly dense snow. At the base of the snowpack, I identified weak, sugary snow. This is the same layer that is causing persistent slab problems in the East Central zone. At this site, the layering did not appear as much of a problem, but we're still suspect of higher elevation terrain especially facing northwest through northeast. 

If you are out and about in the mountains, you can help us out by submitting an observation.