Avalanche forecast

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 4 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Stay atuned to what the winds are doing, and look for older wind affected snow as you travel. Wind slabs could still be reactive and large enough to hurt you at upper elevations. Steer around consequential or unsupported steep slopes if they appear drifted or textured. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    You could travel on many slopes and not trigger avalanches, but you could still find some areas where triggering a large wind slab is possible. In the alpine, slopes are more exposed to wind drifting and are more likely to be affected by winds. The snow is beginning to settle, but it settles slower at higher elevations. Small wind slabs could also form during the day with moderate southeasterly winds at ridgetop, and east winds through the pass.

    Pay attention to how the snow changes as you travel. Look for textured surfaces, and active transport. Look for cracking with wind stiffened snow. Very steep, convex, and/or unsupported slopes may be most likely to release. Steer around areas that you think could hold this problem.

    (1/1/2023) Cross-loaded mid-slope features like this can suprise travelers with wind slab avalanches. Photo: Dallas Glass

Avalanche Discussion

Sunday was a beautiful first day of 2023. The sun was out all 8 hours of the short day, and a small round of wet loose avalanches were observed. These seemed to be mainly on very steep and directly south facing slopes. Other aspects may have been spared, and expect to find a crust on south aspects on Monday. Some wind affect was observed on exposed higher slopes of Lichtenberg. Light to moderate southeast winds may continue drifting some snow on Monday. Clouds should keep surfaces frozen, but they the snow may warm enough for very small wet loose slides at the lowest elevations.

On Saturday I found light wind affect on a ridgeline above Smithbrook, and dangerous tree bombs (chunks of snow and ice falling from trees).  Storm snow instabilities were still present, with a density inversion creating cracking and propagating test results down over a foot deep. An observer in Henry Creek noted blowing snow was visible on the summit ridge of Jim Hill. Observer Brooke Maushund, reported some small wet avalanche on steep slopes below 4,000ft at the pass and up to 5,000ft on the eastern edge of the zone where more sun broke through the clouds. 

Last week, observers reported very reactive avalanches with multiple shallow natural and triggered slides in the new snow. One natural avalanche in the Skyline/Moonlight area had a crown that was over 200 feet wide and may have broke down to the Christmas crust. See photo above. Some of these interfaces may still be able to produce avalanches as mentioned above. From December 23-27th the Schmidt Haus weather station measured nearly 5.5" of water equivilent with heavy rain and sleet forming a stout crust. The Christmas crust is now 2-2.5 feet (50-75cm) below the surface.

Regions covered