Avalanche forecast

East Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

New snow and wind will form fresh slabs on a variety of slopes. Conditions will be most dangerous just below ridges and in open terrain where the wind forms stiffer snow drifts. Even shallow avalanches in wind-sheltered terrain may be easy to trigger. 

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

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

    Avalanches in the new snow will mostly be small, but they may be easy to trigger. The most reactive locations will be on leeward, wind-loaded slopes and southeast through southwest aspects. Avalanches at middle and upper elevations could be large where the wind has formed deeper drifts. Look for clues of the danger like recent avalanches and cracks shooting through the snow. You can also look and feel for stiffer, wind-textured drifts that break or crack easily. Use caution on slopes over 35 degrees where you find these indicators of the danger.  Avoid convex roll-overs and deeply drifted slopes.

    On many slopes, you'll find 4-6" of recent snow over weak facets or surface hoar. On southeast through southwest aspects, the weak snow may rest on a thin crust. Look for this crust/weak layer just below the surface and test the snow on small, inconsequential terrain before moving to larger slopes. 

    (1/3/2025)

    A small skier triggered avalanche on a leeward slope on Delancey Ridge.

    Photo: Katie Warren

Avalanche Discussion

On some low-elevation, sheltered slopes you may not see signs of instability. However, if you find over 6" of snow that slides easily, consider that you are dealing with more dangerous conditions. On Friday, observers on Delancey Ridge reported that avalanches were easy to trigger on wind-loaded slopes and where they found a recently buried crust. 

We expect another rise in avalanche danger with incoming snow and wind Saturday night. Before the recent increase in danger, observers reported isolated but lingering wind slab instability. On the 1st, a small wind slab avalanche (D1, NE, 6,392ft) was triggered in a basin southwest of Blue Lake. There have been reports of isolated cracking. Earlier this week, a large natural avalanche occurred on Poster/Pika Peak in unsupported, cornice-filled terrain. It may have stepped down into older, deeper layers. Observers on Silverstar Mountain reported significant wind-affected snow at upper elevations, but no signs of instability. Elsewhere, observers have found plenty of soft snow on the surface.

Snow totals throughout this week are between 2-4 feet above 4000ft. Near Washington Pass, a thin crust buried around the Solstice can typically be found about 2 feet below the surface with snowpack depths averaging 5 feet.  In the foothills and eastern portion of the zone, you may find similar amounts of recent snow, but there may be more weak layers than at the Cascade crest.  Snow depths are roughly 2-3 feet. Pay attention to red flag signs of instability, such as whumping collapses, and consider digging down to identify potential weak layers.

You can contribute to the avalanche forecast. Please let us know what you see in the mountains by submitting an observation. 

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