Avalanche forecast

Mt Hood

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

You can trigger a large avalanche in pockets of wind drifted snow at upper elevations on Tuesday. Avoid steep, leeward start zones that appear deeply drifted and textured. As the day heats up, think about moving off of steep solar slopes especially if you notice rollerballs and pinwheels. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Strong winds have been cranking over the last 24 hours. The long duration and strong wind speeds are likely creating hard wind slabs (1F-P hard) in many exposed alpine areas. You may find these slabs to be more reactive above treeline since these elevations have stayed drier and colder. 

    You’ll find these wind slabs lurking on the leeward sides of ridges, under cornices, below cliff bands, and the top of chutes/couloirs. You may have found a wind slab If the snow increases in depth or sounds hollow. Cracks shooting out from your skis or machine are clear indicators of an unstable slab.This won’t be the avalanche dragon to poke.  These hard slabs will be capable of breaking above you and could be unsurvivable if triggered. 

    Fortunately, this is an easy avalanche problem to avoid. Travel in more sheltered terrain or stick wind scoured surfaces. Avoid upper elevation, leeward start zones that appear deeply drifted or look rounded and pillow-like. 

     

    (3/13/2023)

    You found an unstable slab of wind drifted snow if you notice cracks shooting out. 

    Vista Ridge on Monday. 

    Photo: Joe Dellaporta

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5

    The sun should make an appearance on Tuesday, which may lead to a round of small wet loose avalanches on sunny slopes. Avoid these solar slopes during the heat of the day, especially if you notice rollerballs and pinwheels. These are often indicators telling you that the snow surface is getting wet and weak, and a sign that larger wet loose avalanches may soon follow. 

    (2/11/2023)

    Rollerballs on steep sunny slopes. These are a great indication the snow surface is becoming wet and unstable.

    Public Field Report: Source Lake

    Photo: Emily Murphy

Avalanche Discussion

Monday was a soggy one out there. My partner and I traveled  into the Vista Ridge zone to look for the 3/2 layer of buried surface and to see how high snow levels were. First off, my partner and I were unsuccessful at locating buried surface hoar in the locations we dug. The main story was the soggy and wet travel conditions extending up to 5500 ft. Above this, we started observing dry snow and radical winds. A few test slopes produced notable shooting cracks. Additionally, the Mt Hood Meadows Pro Patrol went out for a round of control work and triggered small wind slabs that broke 4-6”  deep in some of their more sheltered terrain. 

This wet storm will likely act as a reset for our snowpack below 5500 ft. Going forward, you will likely encounter a couple inches of new snow sitting on a crust at these elevations. However, I wouldn't totally forget about the notable avalanche that occurred in the Bennet Pass area last Wednesday (3/8). You may still find this layer lingering in isolated pockets below treeline. 

 

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