Avalanche forecast

East Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Tue
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Avalanche danger should be isolated to higher elevations, except for small loose slides which could happen on slopes in the sun. Look for shooting cracks in drifted snow as a sign of instability as you gain elevation. Moist sticky snow could entrain into wet loose slides with daytime warming.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5

    Look for signs of recent wind transport as you gain elevation, especialy as you near ridgelines and cornices. Use small test slopes and other practical tests to asess how the new snow is bonding to old crust layers,  paying attention to things like shooting cracks.  Look and feel for stiffer, cohesive snow, and identify terrain features to steer around.

    With daytime warming, expect snow surfaces to warm and become moist at lower elevations, especially those that face south. If you observe fresh loose wet slides, then its time to move away from steep slopes on those aspects.

    Example shallow wind slab from a steep gully feature.

Avalanche Discussion

The zone picked up 4-8" over the past couple of days, with tapering W winds. A bump in NW winds may renew some shallow wind slabs in the afternoon. If and when the sun pokes out, expect small loose wet avalanches to become possible. 

Last Thursday, Willie snowmobiled up to Harts Pass  finding some large debris piles to cross over on the way. The road was melting out quickly near Deadhorse Pt. He found a mix of sun crusts on the surface, though higher elevations looked to hold a cold, layered snowpack. We have minimal recent information from Washington Pass with the spring plowing operations just beginning.

Assess conditions as you travel using quick hand pits and test slopes to observe how new snow reacts. Before this recent snowfall, reports are that southern aspects have had supportable crusts, with only due north slopes holding onto cold, dry powder. However, easterly winds last week have also damaged snow surfaces, so expect to find plentiful wind-affect and scoured slopes under the new snow.

Regions covered