Avalanche forecast

East Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Thu
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 5 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Consider the potential for deeper, surprising avalanches before entering big and complex terrain. As another weather disturbance moves through with shifting winds, low-density snow may be easily transported into wind slabs. Look and listen for signs of instability, like whumphing collapses, and shooting cracks. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Look for signs of recent and active wind drifted snow such as sharp drifts, small cornices, and wind rippled snow. If you can observe areas that are freshly affected by wind, steer around them. Small, shallow avalanches are possible within recently drifted snow, but deeper and larger avalanches may also be possible. Listen for whumphing collapses as you travel, they're the snowpack's way of telling you that a deeper layer is unstable. 

    Use caution, and consider avoiding complex or unsupported terrain at upper elevations. Be wary of other slopes that have increased consequences of getting caught or carried by a slide.  We have limited confidence in the snowpack, because observers have noted potential for avalanches to occur on a crust about 2-3ft down. You can dig down and use snowpack tests to check on this potential failure layer. 

    (12/12/2021)

    A natural avalanche above Blue Lake likely ran on 12/11/2021. Washington Pass

    Photo: Josh Cole

Avalanche Discussion

The eastern slopes picked up a respectable amount of new snow on Monday night. On Tuesday, Forecaster Josh Hirshberg noted obvious wind effect on upper Kangaroo and some cross-loaded gullies above Pine Creek. Josh found results that indicated avalanches could occur on weaker snow grains above the crust that formed in late November 30" down on a NW aspect at 7,300ft in Liberty Bowl. An observer east of Cutthroat Peak reported a large collapse on a southerly aspect near treeline on Monday. The deeper slab release in the photo above illustrates the type of avalanche that is possible. Check out Drew's observation from a southeast aspect at 6,500ft. on Monday.

Saturday was an active day on Washington Pass with many natural avalanches reported up to size D2.5. Avalanches were reported in the Hairpin Valley, the Cutthroat paths (Highway 20, just south of Cutthroat Creek), and the Blue Lake area (see above photo). 

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