Avalanche forecast

East Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

There will be enough clearing and recent snow for wet avalanches on sun-exposed slopes. You may be able to find very shallow drifts above 6,500ft. Expect another day of cool temperatures with partly cloudy skies and light wind. 

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    Pay attention to how much the sun warms the snow surface. If you see rollerballs or wet avalanches, expect that more could occur naturally. Watch for wet avalanches coming from steep overhead slopes. You can avoid these avalanches by moving to shadier and lower-angle terrain. Even though we expect these avalanches to be small, they could be dangerous if they push you into terrain traps or consequential terrain, like cliffs, rocks, or trees.

    (3/31/2024)

    Blowing snow earlier this week from northerly wind on Silver Star Mtn

    Photo: Willie Webster

Avalanche Discussion

At the highest elevations, you may be able to find very shallow drifts of snow. We don't anticipate that these are thick enough to present a risk of wind slab avalanches. Wind will shift northwesterly on Saturday.

You may find up to 6" of recent snow resting on a crust at upper elevations. Cooling temperatures have helped the upper snowpack freeze after the warm temperatures last weekend.

On the 4th, an observer on Big Craggy found light blowing snow and shallow new snow accumultion. In the middle of the week, WDSOT forecasters and road crews continued their work to clear Highway 20, Washington Pass. They saw natural loose wet avalanches to size D2 on steep rock slabs. They also triggered some smaller wet avalanches with large explosives. Notably, they weren't able to trigger cornices that still loom over sunny slopes.

The snowpack is relatively simple. Warming temperatures in the past week drove wet loose avalanches, creeping higher in the terrain each day. The 3/22 crust is the prominent layer about 1 foot below the surface on high elevation and shaded slopes. On the 31st, observers on Silverstar Mtn assessed the crust and found little concern with it. If you dig about 3 feet below the surface, you can find remnants of old crust/weak layers, though they are no longer a concern for avalanches. 

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