Avalanche forecast

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
4 · High
Treeline
4 · High
Below
4 · High
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired last year. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Very dangerous avalanche conditions are expected to develop as snow, wind, and rain overload a dry snowpack. By the afternoon, avalanches may initiate from up high and descend to lower elevations, including the openings in the forest. Once the rain starts, avoid terrain where avalanches can start, run, or stop.

Avalanche problems

  • Wet Slabs

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

    Snow transitions to rain below approximately 6000 ft in the early afternoon on Sunday. The snowpack will rapidly deteriorate as liquid water enters it. Avalanches could take on various forms: wet loose, wet slab, or even glide. Additionally, you might see cornices sag and collapse. Regardless of what you call them, you’re not going to want to hang out on or below large paths where slides could grow large enough to bury or kill you. Be wary of precariously hanging blocks of snow that might break above or below you.

    Until water has time to drain out or refreeze, avalanches will be of concern. Be aware of steep terrain overhead where avalanches can start, and don’t linger in terrain traps where avalanche debris can concentrate. When it starts raining, get out of avalanche terrain. Avoid it until the snowpack has fully refrozen.

    (3/2/2025)

    A wet slab avalanche that crossed the Hart's Pass road in the East North zone earlier this month.

    Photo: Katie Warren

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Precipitation will fall as snow on Saturday night down to pass level and continue to fall as snow at upper elevations throughout the day. This storm will be accompanied by moderate to strong wind with gusts up to 50mph. Small and fresh wind slabs will form overnight and continue to build up high throughout the day. Older and deeper slabs that were reactive on Saturday may still harbor some sensitivity, and triggering one could create an avalanche large enough to bury you.

    Wind slabs typically form just below ridgelines and in gully or chute-shaped terrain features. Look for clear signs of wind transport: dune-like drifts, cornice formation, and blowing snow. As you move about the terrain and the snow begins to feel denser and look unevenly distributed, assume wind slabs probably lurk nearby. Long shooting cracks, collapsing, and recent natural slab avalanches are very good reasons to avoid exposed terrain steeper than 35 degrees.

    (3/21/2025)

    A large skier triggered avalanche in wind-drifted slabs. Lanham creek, N, 5400ft.SS-AS-D2

Avalanche Discussion

You might be able to gently tip-toe around steeper terrain in the morning on Sunday. There will be new,  dry snow at all elevations. But unless you plan to be back to the trailhead while some of us are still sipping on our morning coffee, you'll want to be sure you have an exit strategy that keeps you well out of avalanche terrain. Conditions will swiftly decline with the onset of rain. Furthermore, storm slab instabilities may also exist in more sheltered terrain. 

Observers reported numerous triggered avalanches in the past few days, with many occurring on leeward, wind-loaded slopes. There were numerous reports of human-triggered and natural avalanches big enough to injure or kill a person (D1.5-2) on Friday. Saturday was a similar story. Steven's Pass DOT triggered large avalanches during morning control work, one of which hit the road and ran across a lane and a half. Steven's Pass Ski Patrol triggered avalanches in their morning work as well, most of which were small wind slab avalanches. Another report came in for a skier-triggered slide in Highlands Bowl that may have resulted in a catch and carry.

On high elevation, northerly aspects, there's a chance that you could find weak snow (possibly around a crust) at the March 9th interface, about 3 feet below the surface. 

Ultimately, it's going to be a complicated, dangerous, and really not a very pleasant day to be outside. It's probably not a good idea to test the snowy waters.

Submit an observation to the website or the Avy App to help NWAC Forecasters reduce uncertainty. It can be short, simple, and even anonymous. 

Regions covered