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Out of date — this forecast expired 8 months ago.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

New snow and winds in the teens to twenties have created drifts of snow that may be 3-5 times deeper than the height of new snow in sheltered areas.  If you feel wind-stiffened snow or see shooting cracks, seek out those sheltered areas or low-angle terrain.  

Avalanche danger has been rated Low, below treeline, due to a lack of snow.  

This forecast is sponsored by Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Yesterday in the N Wallowas, winds were gusting to Moderate.  They were Calm to Light in my travels in the S Wallowas near Fish Lake.  

    Today, as snow and winds taper off midday, look for blowing snow, shooting cracks, or stiff/styrofoamy snow that is suddenly supportable to your skis or machine.  Fresh windslabs are the most sensitive.  These may be a few inches up to about a foot thick (small) and in specific leeward slopes.  

Avalanche Discussion

Conditions:  Getting better with cool temps.  Phew.  

N Wallowas:   

  • Pretty good, creamy ski quality reported on 12/26 in N Wallowas.  Blowing snow and a snow height up to 185cm in a wind-loaded spot.  
  • Northern Wallowas 12/20 Forecaster Caleb and his partner found red flags such as collapsing/whoomphing and unstable results in tests (propagation) around the 12/18 crust sandwich, now down 20-55cm.  

S Wallowas:  

  • On a Clear Creek snowmobile day 12/26, I found many trees near 5k' across the road, all passable.  Snow height increases rapidly above 5000' and a stout 2-3" crust (12/26) is buried under a few inches of new snow. 

 New resources for 2025/2026

  • Fresh blog post on 12/22: Early season mindset
  • Avy App. It can save the forecast for offline use and store field observations that upload automatically when back in service. 

Avalanche Courses:  The WAC provides avalanche education specifically for both backcountry skiers and snowmobilers.  Check out all of our courses here.  

  • Motorized Companion Rescue Jan. 16 Catherine Creek
  • Motorized Level 1 Course Jan 17-18 Catherine Creek
  • Motorized Level 2 Course Jan 24-25 Halfway
  • Motorized Level 1 Refresher Feb 7 Catherine Creek
  • Women's Only Snowmobile Clinic Feb 28-March 1 Catherine Creek

Observations: 

 Submit an observation here.  Let's paint this picture together.   An observation can be just that- a picture.  It doesn't have to use any technical wording or snow nerd acronyms.  Just explain where you went and what you saw (or if you did not see avalanches).   Submitting observations through the Avy App has made it incredibly easy to help paint the picture for forecasters and recreational users.  

Regions covered