East Slopes North

Avalanche conditions are generally safe in much of the zone. If you plan to travel through very steep or extreme terrain, consider the consequence of a small avalanche. Expect variable travel conditions and if you're going further afield, be prepared to make your own assessments. 

On Wednesday, you can expect warming temperatures and possible breaks in the clouds. While we don't expect southerly slopes to warm enough, it's a good idea to be alert to rollerballs or other signs of wet avalanches. Northerly winds have been intermittent over the past few days. Most areas of wind-drifted snow are now old and unreactive. In the areas where we have good information (Hwy 20- Washington/Rainy Pass and Harts Pass) avalanches are unlikely. We have less certainty in other parts of the zone. If you plan to travel above treeline and in areas where there's less information, keep an eye out for isolated signs of instability, like cracks shooting through the snow. 

 Around the 25th, warm temperatures and sun formed crusts on steep, sun-exposed slopes. On shaded slopes, the snow on the surface and directly above the MLK crust is beginning to facet and weaken. Some observers have reported propagating test results on this layer. While it's not currently contributing to the avalanche danger, this layer could be a concern during future storms. We've also been tracking a layer of buried surface hoar from January 5th. Near Washington Pass, it's around 2.5ft below the snow surface but shallowly buried in the easternmost portion of the zone. Snowpack tests indicate the potential for propagation above about 5,500ft or in eastern portions of the zone, where the overlying MLK crust is thin or not present. 

The snowpack near the eastern edge of the zone is more shallow, and you may find weak layers of snow more susceptible to triggering an avalanche. In the lower-elevation foothills, warm and wet conditions transformed previously weak, low-elevation snow into melt forms.  While we have little recent info here, we suspect weak layers are forming adjacent to crusts in the upper half of the snowpack.