Avalanche forecast

Northern Wallowas

Wallowa Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago.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

Highlights

It is possible that you could trigger a wind slab avalanche today.  Wind slabs will primarily be found at mid and upper elevations and all aspects are on the table.  Backcountry travelers should look for snow not affected by the wind to avoid the problem and find better riding quality.  

 

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Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    With minimal snow transport yesterday up to 8000', these windslabs are now roughly 48h old and gaining strength.  The exception, where they would be bigger. and more reactive, is above 8-9000', where I saw consistent blowing snow in the interior of the range and there was more snow available for transport.

    The Thanksgiving Drought layer (late November-early December high pressure) is now buried more than 1' below the surface and could make these slabs more reactive if you found the right terrain feature, a wind-loaded convexity.   If you are see visual clues (textured snow) or feel harder surface snow (that may be drumlike) above softer snow, you are standing on a slab.  

    Cracking on a skintrack corner on Wing Ridge 12/19/24

    Photo: Tom Whipple

Avalanche Discussion

Today will be a similarly cloudy day to yesterday, although probably warmer in the mountains with less windchill.  With little weather change, expect minimal change in the avalanche danger as well.  What has changed is our understanding of the snowpack, and with observers in the North, South Wallowas and Elkhorns yesterday finding many stubborn to unreactive windslabs, we have a better sense of their distribution and sensitivity.  There are still plenty of places we haven't visited.  Although we are finding the Thanksgiving Drought layer strengthening, it is still there and could result in a slab avalanche 1-2' thick.   

Yesterday, I found many thin windslabs (4-6" thick) and lots of surface texture on Wing Ridge.  In small test slopes with no consequence below, I was unable to trigger any. 

While I did not find any wet loose avalanches yesterday, if there are breaks in the cloud cover and with rising freezing levels, they may occur today on solar aspects below treeline.  

If you are visiting the area or took some time away from reading the forecast, take a look at the Conditions Blog (next to Weather and above the Dange Scale triangle).  How did our snowpack get here? 

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