Avalanche forecast

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

Expect just enough new snow and wind to maintain avalanche danger at upper elevations. You may be able to trigger avalanches where the wind forms drifts. Avalanches are also possible in older wind-drifted snow on shaded northerly slopes above treeline.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Use caution on leeward sides of ridges and terrain features. Look and feel in the snow for clues such as stiffer, deeper drifts, or sculpted surfaces. Steer around convex roll-overs and slopes 35 degrees and steeper where you see evidence of drifting. 

    Light snow accumulations and increasing wind will form thin slabs on older wind drifts, formed on the 15th. In most places, older slabs will be difficult to trigger. You may be able to trigger them on shaded, northerly aspects above treeline where weak snow lies under the older slabs.

    (3/15/2022) An example of a wind slab avalanche from Washington Pass. Photo: Josh Hirshberg

Avalanche Discussion

Expect a few inches of new snow to soften surfaces. On the 14-15th Stevens Pass received nearly a foot of new snow above 5,000ft with rain and wet snow at lower elevations. After an initial cycle of avalanches, the storm snow quickly gained strength. Filtered sun on 16th triggered a few wet loose avalanches on sunny slopes. Snow surface remain surprisingly soft given that it's mid-March.

We've been tracking a layer of faceted grains just above a crust from early March. This layer has produced surprising persistent slab avalanches elsewhere, especially in the Wes South zone. Keep an eye out for weak, sugary snow over a thicker crust. While we haven't received reports of this layer being a problem at Stevens Pass, we suspected it could be an issue above 5,500ft on NW-NE aspects. 

Regions covered