Avalanche forecast

East Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago.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

More snow and a change in wind direction mean you'll need to look for wind slabs on various aspects on Thursday. Visual clues such as textured surfaces and red flag signs of instability such as cracking of the snow surface can help you identify features to avoid. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Look for fresh cornices, drifts behind objects, or textured surfaces to help determine which way the wind was blowing and thus wind-loaded slopes. Wind Slabs could have formed any of the last few days and might be on a variety of aspects - some of which you may not be used to seeing them. Cracking of the snow surface or fat pillow-like drifts are signs that you’ve found a wind slab, and you should retreat to lower-angled terrain. They’ll be more likely near rocky features or ridgelines.

    (12/26/2023)

    A natural wind slab avalanche in steep rocky terrain. Note the cornice line above it. [N-SS-D1-R1-U]

    Photo: Zach Winters

Avalanche Discussion

Another day, another couple inches of snow.  That's been the pattern all week and it will continue on Thursday. A natural wind slab avalanche was reported on Tuesday in steep, rocky terrain. This was prior to the strongest winds of the week on Wednesday. 

Recent snow fell on a variety of old surfaces.  On the 20th, observers on Rainy Pass found surface hoar both on the surface and buried in the top 8" of the snowpack. In steeper, more southerly terrain, a surface crust likely formed during this timeframe. Since these layers were buried, we haven't received any reports that they are currently problematic, but the slide on Tuesday may have stepped down to an older layer. In the neighboring East Central zone, NWAC forecasters found preserved surface hoar in the snowpack on Tuesday.  As you travel, take note of older snow layers by using small hand pits. 

Similarly, you can find older layers of buried surface hoar, the 12/10 crust (below ~6000ft), and the more prominent 12/7 atmospheric rain crust in the upper snowpack across the terrain.

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