Avalanche forecast

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Thu
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Sun and warming temperatures will maintain concerns for wet avalanches on Wednesday. They could be of consequence on slopes that have yet to see much recent avalanche activity.  Limit your exposure to large, overhead cornices and slopes with open glide cracks.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Check the snow on and just below the surface to see how well it froze overnight. If you find a poor overnight freeze, expect that avalanches may be easy to trigger. Look for rollerballs, tree bombs, and feel for heavy wet snow as indicators that you can trigger slides. Avalanches could be large on steep, rocky slopes. Time your day to be off of steep sunny slopes before they get wet and weak.

    (3/21/2023)

    Wet avalanches on Rock Mtn, 6300ft, SE

    Photo: Brooke Maushund

Avalanche Discussion

Continue to minimize your exposure below cornices, glide cracks, and other overhead hazards. 

For the past week, we've seen ongoing rounds of wet avalanches. On Tuesday, observers in the Skyline and Rock Mountain areas were able to trigger wet avalanches up to size D2. There were some natural wet avalanches near and above treeline. Observers reported, reported natural wet avalanches to size D2 that ran over the weekend on steep, south aspects. Wet avalanches have mostly been on E-S-W aspects, though a few have occurred on steep northerly aspects where snow has fallen off of cliffs or trees. 

A handful of very large D3 avalanches occurred on the 10th and 11th in steep, rocky, and mostly wind-loaded terrain above treeline. These were suspected to have run on the Valentine's Day Crust but we haven't been able to confirm this. Between 2/28-3/6 we received reports of triggered avalanches, up to size D2, that likely ran on the Valentine's Day crust.

Regions covered