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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 24th, 2025–Apr 25th, 2025

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.
Alpine
Below Threshold.
Treeline
Below Threshold.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.

Regions

Glacier.

Starting and ending your day early is always a good idea this time of year.

Expect avalanche activity to increase on solar slopes as the day heats up.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

A MIN reported loose snow avalanches on the steep S slopes of Swiss Peak Wednesday.

Neighboring operations have been observing solar triggered loose snow avalanches out of steep terrain this week, up to size 3. As well as a few natural cornice failures up to size 2.5

Soft, surface storm slabs were reactive to ski cuts on steep slopes in the Mt Fidelity area at treeline on Monday. These were size 1.5 were running far due to the crusty bed surface.

Snowpack Summary

~15 cm of storm snow fell early in the week above 1600. Below this new snow a crust is present on solar slopes in the alpine and on all aspects below 2400m. This crust has been a bed surface this week for small loose dry and storm slab avalanches. Both of these problems have been human and naturally triggered.

Rising freezing levels will rapidly deteriorate the upper snowpack as spring conditions return to treeline and into the alpine.

Expect variable conditions below treeline.

Weather Summary

A ridge of high pressure maintains clear skies with rising freezing levels in to the weekend.

Tonight Clear w/ cloudy periods. Alpine Low +2°C. Light South Ridge winds. Freezing Level (FZL) 1700m.

Friday Sunny. Alpine High +7°C. Light W wind. FZL 2800m.

Sat A mix of sun and cloud. Alpine Low 4 °C, High 8 °C. Wind Light. FZL 2800m.

Sun A mix of sun and cloud. Alpine Low 0 °C, High 4 °C. Light NW wind. FZL 2600m.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling, and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.
  • Avoid travelling on slopes below cornices.

Problems

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.