Avalanche forecast

Elkhorns

Wallowa Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 4 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Recent low-density snow sits above a melt-freeze crust and has the potential to move rapidly downhill.  You are most likely to trigger these Dry Loose Avalanches in terrain >35 degrees.  Even small avalanches have the potential to push you into gullies, trees, or over cliffs.  Pay attention to the terrain around you before committing to these steep slopes.  

It remains possible to trigger a persistent slab avalanche in terrain >35 degrees near the treeline.  

This forecast is sponsored by CB Construction.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Dry

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1

    The new light-density snow is sitting on a crust from Sunday-Mondays warmup and will likely move in steep terrain >35 degrees.  If you suspect there is a possibility of triggering a dry loose avalanche, avoid riding in terrain with hazardous runout zones, such as terrain traps, rocks, trees etc.  

    Natural Dry Loose Avalanches will occur with wind-blown snow sifting onto a steep slope or a little bit of direct sunshine.  These types of avalanches may not be big enough to bury you but they can push you into undesirable places.  Pay attention to the terrain above and below you.  Before you commit to a slope assess where a potential avalanche could carry you.  

    Dry Loose Avalanche: An avalanche that releases from a single point and entrains cohesionless snow as it fans downhill.

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    Isolated areas in the Northern Wallowas, Elkhorns and Southern Wallowas hold the potential to trigger a large avalanche failing on weak snow that sits under a slab.  To avoid this avalanche problem look out for shallow snowpack areas (less than 4 feet of total snow), trigger points when in terrain greater than 35 degrees (steep convex rollovers and rocky zones), and areas that harbor a stout crust with weak snow around the crust and a slab above.    

    Take a moment to read these observations from Chief Joseph Mountain and this report in the Northern Elkhorns by two of our professional observers.  Also in talking with a Pro Observer in the Southern Wallowas he reported finding two different layers of buried surface hoar down 55CM (2') and 100cm (3').  

    (2/16/2023)

Avalanche Discussion

When traveling out in the backcountry these next few days, pay attention to the terrain above you, especially when complex terrain and significant alpine slopes are above you.  Consider the risk of triggering even a small dry loose avalanche and where you could end up if you triggered a small "sluff".  

They are called "Persistent" for a reason.  Forecasters are still finding poor snowpack structure in isolated locations near treeline.   Persistent weak layers can produce large avalanches and we are still finding buried surface hoar and facets around a crust in some of our snowpack tests.  You must dig down to determine the snowpack structure before committing to more challenging terrain.  Often times we don't observe Red Flags once these layers are more deeply buried, with a slab above them.  

Don't be surprised if you find isolated wind slabs above treeline today, with sporadic winds blowing from a multitude of directions in the past 24 hours.  Weather stations haven't indicated significant winds, but they shouldn't be ruled out especially if you observe dune-like formations, pillows, or see shooting cracks from your machine, skis or boards.  

 

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