Avalanche forecast

East Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago.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

Highlights

Watch for loose avalanches on steep slopes, especially in direct sun. You may be able to trigger avalanches at upper elevations in recently formed drifts. Look for loose snow that slides easily, rollerballs, and cracks to indicate where you could trigger avalanches. 

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    Skies will be clear and the sun could trigger small loose avalanches on steep, southerly slopes. It may be easy to trigger wet avalanches on steep slopes where you find 6" or more of softer snow over a crust. Watch for warming and moistening of the snow surface. Rollerballs can clue you into the increasing instability. If you see these warning signs, move to shaded aspects or slopes less than 35 degrees before the snow starts sliding.

    (2/10/2024)

    The sun triggered small wet avalanche coming from rocky features. ESE, 7,500ft, Black Peak

    Photo: Will Govus

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5

    You could trigger shallow wind slab avalanches on leeward slopes steeper than 35 degrees. While you may not see blowing snow, recent drifts and stiffer feeling snow will help you identify which aspects have been recently loaded.  Other clues to these avalanches are long shooting cracks or observing stiffer snow as you move higher in terrain.  Use caution just below ridges and on wind-exposed features. Steer around deeper pillows of drifted snow on slopes steeper than 35 degrees. If you're unsure, stick to lower angle and wind-sheltered terrain away from ridgelines.

    (2/9/2024)

    Skiers triggered a very small (6" deep) windslab avalanche that ran on the 1/31 crust. Copper Creek, SE, 7200ft

    Photo: Harry Keane

Avalanche Discussion

Recently, observers have reported a handful of small avalanches. Skiers triggered wind slab avalanches on both Sunday and Monday. Over the weekend, small, natural loose avalanches ran, both sun-triggered and of the dry variety on shaded slopes.

On Friday and Sunday, forecasters traveled in the mountains north of Mazama and Winthrop. They found a well-settled, shallower snowpack, with a similar 1/31 crust in the upper snowpack but lacking the old December melt forms found in the lower snowpack, closer to Washington Pass. Recent storm totals on the 1/31 crust are similar, if slightly less than near Washington Pass above 6,000ft. Of note, most slopes that were examined near and east of Mazama On Thursday, NWAC forecasters and avalanche professionals found 8-10"(20-25cm) of settled, dry snow at upper elevations over the stout 1/31 crust. Favored upper elevation terrain held as much as 1.5' (45cm) over the crust, while lower elevations had as little as 2". Small facets were found in some locations just above the 1/31 crust.

Below the 1/31 crust, most of the snowpack got moist or wet during the late January rain event. The December melt form/facets are no longer a layer of concern. In the eastern mountains, the snowpack is shallow below 5,000ft. Snowpack information is limited outside of the Highway 20 corridor, including Harts Pass, the Chelan Sawtooths, and near and east of Mazama. If you're traveling in these areas, let us know what you find by submitting an observation.

Regions covered