Snoqualmie Pass

Avalanche conditions are generally safe, and Sunday’s main hazard will be difficult travel in the forest and on open slopes that face the sun. Sharp objects like boot/ski crampons and ice axes can help to manage slick, firm, and variable surfaces. Soft, recycled snow and easier travel conditions exist on many sheltered, shady slopes at the middle and upper elevations, but getting to and from these zones can be a real bear.

Despite the glorious sunshine on Saturday, the snow surface barely softened, even on steeper due south-facing slopes. NWAC forecasters in the Alpental Valley noted hard surfaces and utilized ski crampons to gain traction on steep open slopes in the sun. They also witnessed a near-long-sliding fall, though thankfully, the skier was able to get control and arrest their fall. Some east and west-facing slopes had a bit more of a breakable crust, while true south-facing slopes were just plain hard. On the shaded side of the compass, they found 4-6” of soft surface hoar/facets that made for quite enjoyable travel, though getting to and from those locations was not easy. Below tree canopy, the travel was slow, slick, and arduous. Even the well-worn skin track is becoming very challenging to navigate where it’s firm at best and sheet ice at worst. Traveling on foot with traction devices may be the most efficient, easiest, and safest option for forest ascents. Descending off-trail through the forest is not recommended, as you’ll have to contend with rock-hard frozen debris, all manner of crusts, and very uneven surfaces. Some manner of crampon or traction device is advisable right now; make sure you know how to use them and consider the real consequences of a long-sliding fall if your travel plans take you onto a sustained steep slope.

Sunday brings the arrival of a multi-day warming trend. With a little luck, things may start to soften a bit more on steeper sunlit slopes, though we think it might take until Monday to really notice an appreciable improvement. Multiple freezing levels and inversions will also make the warming much more variable at the lower and mid-elevations, while the higher elevations are more likely to warm and soften. Between the warming already experienced during this multi-week drought and the expected magnitude of warming on Sunday, we don’t anticipate much in the way of wet avalanche activity. That said, pay attention to the telltale signs of wet avalanche danger such as rollerballs, pinwheels, and sinking into wet snow past your boot tops. Should you see any of these signs, don’t linger on or below steep slopes and switch to a more shaded aspect. If you were to encounter a slab avalanche on Sunday, it would likely be in an isolated and extreme piece of high-elevation terrain where old wind-drifted snow sits on top of the 1/10 interface. While this is unlikely, it’s worth considering if your plans include complex terrain.