Mt Hood

A strong spring-like snowpack continues to provide generally safe avalanche conditions. You may be able to trigger a small avalanche in slushy wet snow on steep, rocky, sun-exposed slopes. Keep an eye out for rocks on the snow surface or rockfall from above.

Expect another solid refreeze with clear skies Friday night. Saturday should be warmer and less windy than Friday, shifting the potential for corn-like riding on sunny slopes earlier in the day. Recent observations on Mt Hood and Mt Adams reported no new avalanches and variable travel conditions. Many wind-scoured and sun-exposed ridgelines have melted out to bare ground with dust accelerating the melt of nearby snow. Many creeks are also exposed. Outside of these areas, the snowpack has been somewhat resilient to the unseasonably warm weather, and snow depths for this time of year are not too far below climatological averages. 

The last significant storm brought 8-10in of snow from January 30 to February 2. Since then, warm, sunny days and clear nights allowed the snowpack to resume another diurnal melt-freeze cycle reminiscent of the springtime. Avalanche concerns are very limited anywhere you find firm and frozen snow surfaces. As the snowpack thaws throughout the day, small wet loose activity and cornice fall may continue on the steepest, sunniest slopes. A wet avalanche cycle has largely run its course, but consider steering around consequential terrain where you find wet, slushy snow. 

If you head out into the mountains, several non-avalanche hazards are worth keeping on your radar: 

• Expect firm and icy surfaces, especially in the morning hours and in the alpine. Bring the necessary tools to travel safely and arrest a fall. 
• Rockfall and rime-ice fall continue. Be heads up for rockfall below steep, melted-out canyon walls. Once settled on the snow surface, these rocks present an obstacle to downhill travelers.
• Creeks are open and flowing and many snow bridges have collapsed or melted out.