Avalanche forecast

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 4 years ago.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

Highlights

Conditions will be most dangerous above treeline, where it will be easy to trigger avalanches in recent snow. Warm temperatures and light rain will keep wet avalanches possible at middle and lower elevations. Take time to make your own observations and look for recent avalanches as a sign that dangerous conditions may still exist.

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

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

    Look for hard-over-soft layering in the new and recent snow. Watch for shooting cracks and test slopes that slide easily. If you see these clues, stick to slopes under 35 degrees. 

    Slab avalanches in recent snow will be bigger and more likely above treeline. Above 5,500ft the snow should be mostly dry. East winds will increase later on Saturday and could form subtle drifts and thicker slabs on leeward slopes. The recent warming trend with rain and heavy snow set the stage for storm slab avalanche conditions.

    (12/20/2022) An example from December of cracks extend from a small skier triggered slab avalanche near Stevens Pass Photo: Josh Hirshberg

  • Loose Wet

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

    Watch for triggering wet avalanches on steep slopes below 5,500ft. Ongoing warm teperatures and light rain and wet snow will keep the chances of avalanches through Saturday. wet, usupportive surface snow and recent wet avalanches indicate that you should to lower angle terrain. You may find less dangerous areas where the surface is moist but the snow won't slide very easily. Just east of the zone, some very large wet avalanches ran to valley bottoms. See photo.

    (1/13/2023)

     Very large wet avalanche in Tumwater Canyon, just to the east of Stevens Pass. 

    Photo: Harlen Sheppared

Avalanche Discussion

During this wet and soggy storm, observations have been limited. Observers in the Skyline lake area noted roller balls, moist surfaces and small loose wet avalanches in steep terrain. Temperatures should cool by Saturday night and put an end to most concerns for wet avalanches. 

This recent storm system has created significantly different avalnche conditions in different zones. As best we can tell with current information, the Stevens Pass zone, may have seen less dangerous conditions and less of an avalanche cycle than some neighboring zones.  If you see recent avalanches, let us know by submitting an observation.

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