East Slopes South

Springlike hazards remain as warm weather continues at middle and upper elevations. Slopes or cornices may soften enough to elevate the wet loose or cornice fall hazards, primarily during the mid-day hours. The threat of a long, sliding fall on a slick, icy slope presents your greatest hazard. 

We're 8 days into a warm, dry pattern and we have enough data from a variety of datapoints just outside the zone in order to build a fairly good picture. Given the sharp NW-SE gradient in rainfall during the January 11-13 atmospheric river, we think that conditions for the East South are more in line with similar areas that didn't receive much precipitation, including Crystal Mountain, Mission Ridge, Mt Adams, and Mt Hood. By contrast, Paradise received closer to 0.75" of water during the event and had evidence of old wet slab activity. We don't expect wet slab activity in the East South zone. However, the similar areas previously mentioned reported minimal avalanche concerns, thicker crusts on sun-exposed aspects, thin crust crusts or dry snow on shaded aspects, and mostly cut-back cornices. 

Springtime hazards to keep on your mind in the East South zone:

• Slick surface crusts have presented challenging travel conditions throughout the Cascades in recent days. You could take a long sliding fall. Treat your outing like you would in springtime. Bring the tools you need to arrest a fall if you cross steep, icy slopes.
• If these crusts break down, and you punch into wet snow, you could trigger a wet loose avalanche. This is more likely in shallow snowpack areas or near rocks heating in the sun.
• Drooping cornices may break back farther than you expect along ridgelines, and represent a risk when large blocks break off and slide down a slope below. Cornices are softest under direct sunshine during the mid-day hours.
• Creeks may have opened up since you were last out, and early season obstacles are very much back in play. Some slopes lack snow entirely. Plan extra time for travel and be cautious on the descent for rocks and other obstacles that you might not have encountered a week ago.

A snow pit from a middle elevation ENE aspect on Mt Adams shows moist snow grains near the surface above settled drier snow sitting on a slightly weakening 1/3 crust. The 1/3 crust may be slowly breaking down and deserves monitoring as we await a change in the weather pattern. Please submit an observation online or on the AvyApp if you get out!