Avalanche forecast

Blues

Wallowa Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago.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

Highlights

Human-triggered avalanches are likely today in areas where a slab overlies weak faceted snow.  You could trigger a large avalanche on terrain features >30 degrees that have received recent wind loading. To avoid avalanche hazard, stick to slopes <30 degrees and avoid traveling below avalanche runouts.   

This forecast is sponsored by Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort.

 

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    January's long high pressure weakened the upper snowpack and created several layers of incohesive facets that are now buried 2-3 feet deep across the forecast area. On southern aspects, these weak grains exist beneath sun crusts. This layer is most reactive where facets sit above the thick rain crust buried on 1/3. The new snow will add load to this structure and increased reactivity should be anticipated. Avoiding avalanche terrain is recommended, especially in any areas affected by wind. 

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Abundant new snow combined with winds will build reactive wind slabs in exposed areas. If you see signs of wind slab activity such as dune-like formations, a textured snow surface, or shooting cracks avoid slopes >30 degrees.  Adding a slab along with a trigger to our poor snowpack structure could trigger an avalanche larger than anticipated. 

Avalanche Discussion

This observation from the Southern Wallowas yesterday highlights the potential complexity of our snowpack - a natural avalanche roughly 50m wide suspected to have failed in the previous 24hrs, likely in an area where winds had deposited enough snow to create a strong (and heavy) slab above weak structure. In some areas forecasters have discovered buried surface hoar at the 1/31 interface, leading to propagation in snowpack tests in sheltered areas below treeline. Yesterday, forecasters received a propagating result in the Blues above the 1/3 rain crust. Until the snowpack structure improves the only way to eliminate the risk of avalanches is to avoid terrain steeper than 30 degrees, especially with the potential for overlapping avalanche problems. 

Add value to your avalanche forecast.  Help us reduce uncertainty.   If you get out today, please submit an observation sharing where you traveled and if you saw avalanches or signs of instability. 

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