Avalanche forecast

Northern Wallowas

Wallowa Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 8 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Triggering a wind slab 1-3 feet deep remains possible along upper-elevation exposed ridgelines.  Avoid stiff, dune-like formations and corniced ridgelines.   Below exposed ridgelines, if you are riding terrain steeper than 30 degrees, you may encounter small loose snow avalanches- dry loose on the shady aspects, and potentially wet loose rollerballs throughout rocky cliffbands on solar aspects.   

This forecast is sponsored by Brooks Painting 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Winds have decreased, but isolated pockets of stubborn windslabs will likely still linger at mid and upper elevations.   Avoid areas that have stiff-looking or hollow-sounding snow surfaces.   If you see shooting cracks in stiff snow, you have likely found a windslab.  Use small test slopes to test the sensitivity of representative slopes.  When in doubt, select less consequential terrain.  

    Wind slabs are most likely on steep leeward slopes below cornices, ridgelines and saddles.  Mid-slope features such as ridgelines/subridges can cross-load.  Check out the picture below of a second natural avalanche on Pyramid.  This cross-loaded pocket released naturally in a steep, rocky, and shallow snowpack area.  

    Carefully monitor how far you are sinking into the snow as you travel and pay attention to the stiffness and texture of the snow surface. Smooth, rounded pillow shapes, drifts, and areas of unusually deep or shallow snow are signs that wind loading has occurred. Cracking, collapsing, and strong over weak snow are signs that you have found a wind slab. 

    A public observation submitted 1/7/26 shows a human triggered wind slab in the Northern Wallowas. 

Avalanche Discussion

Wind Slabs:

The wind slab problem should be straightforward to recognize and avoid along upper elevation ridgelines.  We have seen 5 large natural wind slab avalanches and 1 human-triggered wind slab avalanche in the Northern and Southern Wallowas since last Tuesday.   We are now about 48 hours after the initial wind loading event, so any lingering windslabs will likely be less sensitive today.  There is still plenty of snow to be blown around, so monitor any new wind loading patterns and avoid terrain steeper than 30 degrees if you see active wind loading on those slopes.  

Loose Snow Avalanches:

Surface snow may be loose, and on shady aspects in terrain steeper than 35 degrees, you may encounter dry loose avalanches (or sluffs) that could entrain up to a foot of unconsolidated surface snow.  As the sun warms solar aspects- coupled with warming temperatures through mid-week, small and manageable wet loose avalanches may develop.  While likely not big enough to bury you, loose snow avalanches could carry you over consequential terrain (cliffs and rock bands) or into a terrain trap (gully, creek, or dense trees).  

What's going on deeper in the snowpack?

While the avalanche danger may be moderate, uncertainty is high and warrants its own conversation. Forecasters have been monitoring several buried crusts in the snowpack (12/18, 12/26, and 1/3), and small facets have been observed around these crusts.    Layers of graupel has been found within the top 1-2 feet of the snowpack, sitting above the 1/3 crust/interface.  This interface has been responsible for unstable test results (propagation in Extended Column Tests).   Before committing to avalanche terrain, it's recommended to dig down in the snowpack to observe any weak snow around these crusts and interfaces.  When higher degrees of uncertainty exist, always defer to less consequential terrain less than 30 degrees in steepness. 

What are you seeing in the snowpack? Please send us an observation!  Notable information includes the depth of any crusts and the hardness of the snow above and below these crusts, as well as the amounts of snow you encounter at various elevations. This observation is a perfect example of uncertainty at work in the current snowpack. 

Snowmobile Riding Clinic for Snow Professionals Feb 26-27

If you are a snow professional who’s interested in building your snowmobile skills and technique, or are looking to advance to the next level, the Wallowa Avalanche Center is offering a 2-day clinic on February 26-27.  This clinic is open to Avalanche Forecasters, ski patrollers, ski guides, and other industry professionals.  Click here to learn more. 

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