Avalanche forecast

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 4 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

You can trigger avalanches where new snow and wind build fresh slabs at upper elevations. Watch for blowing snow and cracks shooting through the snow as indicators to stick to wind-sheltered terrain or slopes less than 35 degrees.  As you may still be able to trigger large avalanches on older buried weak layers, put extra space between where you travel and large, consequential pieces of terrain where avalanches could start.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Avalanches will be easy to trigger at the highest elevations. Just enough snow and wind should come in overnight to drift some fresh slabs in the new snow. Northwest winds may be strong enough through Sunday to keep forming slabs at upper elevations. Watch for blowing snow and wind features to point towards the slopes prone to these avalanches. To avoid these avalanches, you can steer around drifted pillows, stick to scoured or wind-sheltered terrain, or travel on slopes less than 35 degrees. You may see some sun in the eastern portion of the zone, and maybe even some small loose avalanches on sunny slopes. 

    (1/19/2023)

    Shallow snowboard triggered wind slab on leeward slope of Lichtenberg Mtn.

    Photo: Nate H-S

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2

    Until we can rule out the possibility of these avalanches, be conservative with your terrain choices and take time to assess the snowpack. The safest option is to stick to slopes under 35 degrees. Put a large buffer of terrain between where you travel and areas where avalanches could start. You can tick to smaller features and avoid traveling through start zones. 

    There's much uncertainty around triggering avalanches on a layer of buried surface hoar about 1-2 feet below the surface of the snow. On the 19th, skiers triggered a large avalanche 1-2 feet deep on Jim Hill. While the layer may only exist in isolated areas, the consequences of a slide could be serious. Use snowpits and tests in safe terrain to look for the stripe of feathery snow grains. While the January 4th surface hoar has been found in a few other locations, we don't have a lot of other information on it in this zone, but to the east, there have been multiple observations of large natural avalanches. running on this layer.

     

    (1/19/2023)

    Large avalanche on a layer of buried surface hoar. NE at 6,200ft on Jim Hill. The crown was 1-2ft deep.

    Photo: Ryan Minton

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