West Slopes Central

Use normal caution in the backcountry - carry rescue gear, travel one at a time through avalanche terrain, and watch for signs of instability.Above-freezing temperatures could still produce a small avalanche or two in steep, rocky terrain. Watch out for pockets of wind-drifted snow on exposed slopes if heading up into the alpine.

Above-freezing temperatures will continue through Monday. Also, thick cloud cover overnight should prevent the kind of shallow refreeze reported over the weekend. With additional melting, you could see cliffs and snow-covered rock slabs shed snow at mid and lower elevations. Look for and stay out from under glide cracks or snow clinging onto exposed rock slabs. Steep, cliffy terrain with running water around or under the snowpack should also be considered suspect. 

No new wet loose or glide avalanches were reported on Monday from any of the zones neighboring West Central. Up at Baker, a late-morning shot of strong sun and rising temperatures softened up snow surfaces on all aspects up to 5000’. But moderate winds kept mid and upper elevation ridgelines and start zones cool. This prevented significant warming and avalanche activity. Thickening clouds ended the warming cycle by midday. Observers in Stevens Pass reported a mix of soft, wet snow on solar aspects and dry snow over crust on shaded aspects. Low snow cover made for difficult travel below 4500'. No signs of instability were reported.

There are still plenty of open creeks, exposed or partially buried rocks, stumps, and old, chunky avalanche debris. Stay vigilant to early season hazards.