Avalanche forecast

Mt Hood

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

The weight of a skier or climber could easily trigger an avalanche in wind-loaded terrain above 6500 ft on Sunday. While these slabs will be shallow, don't underestimate small avalanches in steep, consequential terrain. Daytime warming should set the stage for another round of small wet avalanches involving the recent snow. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    With another small pulse of precipitation( <.25 in) and increasing west winds, look for existing and newly forming wind slabs on leeward slopes above 6000 ft. While these slabs will be less than 1 ft thick, they could trigger easily if they're poorly bonded to the underlying slick crust. 

    Here on Mt Hood, you'll typically find these slabs on the downwind sides of ridges and canyons, below cornices, and on upper mountain chutes. Blowing snow, sharp cornices, drifts, and wind-created features like ripples are obvious clues that the wind has been at work. Recent avalanches or cracking in wind-blown snow represent signs that the wind slabs are unstable. 

    You can use small test slopes like this to help you gauge the sensitivity of wind-drifted snow. 

    Photo: Joe Dellaporta

  • Loose Wet

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

    It's the time of year when wet loose avalanches don't take much input to initiate. While these will remain small, they could quickly initiate during periods of warming or sunlight. Look for rollerballs and pinwheels as indicators that the surface is becoming wet and weak. Be careful in steep terrain where falls have consequences, and consider the presence of rocks, trees, and cliffs in your fall line.

    (3/22/2024)

    You could see similar small wet avalanches involving the new snow like this on Sunday. Sometimes we call these "push-o-lanches"

    Photo: Dallas Glass

Avalanche Discussion

On Saturday, observers and avalanche professionals reported about 2-4 inches of dense new snow above the snow line. The Mt Hood Meadows Pro Patrol reported sensitive 3-9 inch thick wind slabs in their upper elevation terrain. They also reported small, wet loose avalanches during late morning warming. 

Above 7000 ft this new snow rests on a very firm, slick crust. Remember that any new snow may act as dust on crust on steeper terrain features maintaining the long sliding fall concern. If you plan on traveling in steeper terrain, be sure to still pack the crampons, ice axe, and have the ability to arrest a fall.  

The surfaces around Mt Hood are rough, to say the least. The recent warm-up has left firm surfaces in the alpine, bareground on steep west through south aspects, and wet, unsupportable snow at middle and lower elevations. 

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