West Slopes South

Low avalanche danger offers a good opportunity for exploration, though you may have to contend with some variable surfaces and thin coverage down low.  Any lingering wet avalanche issues are unlikely to cause problems unless they lead to a slip in high-consequence terrain. Shallow hazards, including rocks, stumps, creek beds, and trees, pose the most significant concern.

Enjoy the sunshine and low hazard while they last!

This stretch of balmy, clear weather at higher elevations, coupled with low-elevation cloud cover and cold inversions, may soon come to an end, but not just yet! Thursday is expected to be quite similar. White Pass and the more eastern edges of the zone will hold on to inversions with low-level clouds and cold temperatures down low and sun and mild temperatures up high. The volcanoes should start out sunny from the get-go. Expect some clouds to build at mid to upper elevations in the afternoon, but these changes won’t significantly impact Thursday's travel conditions.

NWAC forecasters were out near White Pass on Wednesday and were somewhat pleasantly surprised to find soft, dry snow on many aspects above 5000 feet. Surface conditions were fairly smooth with the exception of the occasional wind scour up high. Most areas skied well and only slopes with southern exposure held some moist surface snow. On the steeper south-facing terrain, they reported occasional roller balls, but there was minimal avalanche hazard. Observations from Crystal Mountain Pro Patrol and other NWAC forecasters in surrounding zones echoed a similar picture of generally safe avalanche conditions, with the possibility of a stray roller ball.

The key takeaway, aside from the nice sliding, is that although coverage is good for early December, it varies widely by elevation, aspect, and even within smaller pockets of terrain at all elevations.

Keep in mind the potential for changing surface conditions and thin coverage as you travel tomorrow. If you're heading into bigger terrain, be mindful of the consequences of a fall in a no-fall zone.

If you make it out, please share a few sentences or photos from your day in the mountains.