Avalanche forecast

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

You can trigger slab avalanches just below ridges and wind-affected features. Steer around steep roll-overs where you find subtle drifts and stiffer snow near and above treeline. Watch for triggering loose avalanches in steep, wind-sheltered terrain. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Watch for triggering slab avalanches on leeward slopes below ridges and other wind-exposed features. Steer around convexities and unsupported features steeper than 35 degrees. You're most likely to trigger avalanches due to westerly winds. You may find wind-drifted slabs from east wind just below the surface including in open areas below treeline, especially along the Highway 2 corridor. While these avalanches will be less reactive, you should still consider the consequences of triggering them.

    There's a slim chance of triggering avalanches on deeper layers, especially on southerly aspects or on the eastern boundary of the zone. See the discussion for more details. Winds have been blowing from the east for most of the week but shifted west on Friday. If you don't see actively wind-transported snow on Saturday, you may need to probe for deeper and stiffer slabs and hunt down subtle drifting, 

    (3/3/2023)

    A natural slab avalanche from last week on a leeward and sun-exposed slope. Highlands Bowl, SE, 5,600ft

    Photo: Stevens Pass Ski Patrol

Avalanche Discussion

You may be able to trigger small loose avalanches in wind-sheltered terrain near and below treeline. Some of these may be on sun-exposed slopes. Either way, these avalanches should be minimal and not of consequence. As always, use caution around terrain traps, like cliffs, rocks, or gullies, where a normally benign fall could be dangerous.

If you're planning to travel where the snowpack is shallow, on steep, sun-exposed slopes or in the eastern portion of the zone, consider this low-likelihood but high-consequence scenario. The Valentine's crust is now easily 2.5-3ft below the surface and triggering a persistent slab avalanche is unlikely. If you managed to trigger a slide on this layer it could be dangerously large.  Between 2/28-3/6 we received a few reports of triggered avalanches that likely ran on the crust buried around Valentine's day. Also on the 6th, observers near the White Pine drainage experienced a whumph and found propagating test results, likely the same crust 2.5 feet below the surface. On March 7th, Matt Primomo checked out the most recent of the avalanches on a southerly aspect below Skyline Lake. You can find examples of both observations below. 

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