Avalanche forecast

Presidential Range

Mount Washington Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
No rating
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Highlights

Cold winter weather is back, and it brings winter hazards. Watch out for areas of wind drifted snow where you can trigger an avalanche on a steep frozen bed surface. Long sliding falls remain equally dangerous today. Choose conservative terrain that aligns with your abilities to reduce risk.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    What and where is it:  4.7 inches of snow yesterday on the summit of Mt Washington along with strong northwest winds created new windslabs that may be sensitive to a human trigger. In the most sheltered locations on steep easterly slopes these slabs may be 10-20 inches thick, and large enough to bury you if triggered. 

    How can you recognize it: These newly formed slabs will look smooth, clean, and white, contrasting sharply with the harder, gray bed surface underneath.

    How can you manage it: Make frequent snowpack observations and be cautious on steep slopes with deeper drifts. Informal tests like hand shears should help you to assess size and sensitivity. If you're unsure about the sensitivity or location of wind slabs, consider taking an alternate route in simpler, low angle terrain.

Avalanche Discussion

Yesterday’s snow showers produced 4.7 inches of new snow on the summit of Mt. Washington but less than 1 inch at Hermit Lake. This discrepancy creates some uncertainty about how large and widespread new wind slabs may be. Field observations confirm that these slabs are in specific locations,  meaning you will not find a uniform coating of fresh snow everywhere. Where the new snow has not formed slabs, the previously warm and wet surface has now refrozen into an exceptionally hard icy surface.

Today be ready for variable surfaces. Refrozen snow will be scoured of new snow, hard and icy along with localized drifts of softer snow. Even a small avalanche on a steep slope could cause a long, uncontrolled slide on the underlying hard bed surface. Additionally, many steep slopes effectively become “no-fall zones” under these icy conditions.

A recent incident highlights these hazards. Yesterday, a group of skiers found themselves on a steep, refrozen slope without crampons and they were unable to safely descend until a nearby individual, equipped with crampons, climbed up and assisted them. Fortunately, no one was injured, but this scenario demonstrates how quickly a fun outing can escalate to dangerous when conditions are icier than expected.

Carry the right gear (crampons and ice axes), match your route to your skill level, and be watchful about changing snow conditions. The variable nature of these slabs, combined with refrozen slopes, demands both conservative terrain choices and a “no-fall” mindset on steep terrain. 

OBSERVATIONS: Please consider submitting an observation on our website or in the new Avy phone app of what you are seeing in your travels. Submitting an observation hones your skills, informs other users, and improves our forecasts.

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