Avalanche forecast

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago.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

Highlights

You could trigger large old wind slabs in big, steep starting zones. Warming snow surfaces in the sun may cause small wet loose slides to run on steep slopes. Look and feel for signs of wind textured or wind stiffened snow, and identify areas you'll want to avoid.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Small loose wet slides may become commonplace on steep slopes that catch direct sun. Look for signs of moistening snow, snow falling from trees and cliffs, rollerballs, and fresh fan shaped slides.  These could run a respectable distance because they'll slide on a recent crust. The debris could entrain a fair amount of snow and create debris piles that you won't want to get caught in. Especially be careful of larger terrain like rock lined couloirs, gullies and similar places where debris piles up deeply.

    Example of natural, solar induced loose slides.

    Photo: Jonathan Spitzer

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Wind slabs could take on various forms on Wednesday. They could be small and soft, or they could be large enough to bury or kill you. Later in the day, winds may begin drifting snow at ridgelines and may create shallow soft slabs at the highest elevations. In some isolated areas, you could trigger a larger and more surprising slab on a crust from mid February. Look for drifts as you gain elevation and for cross loaded slopes, and top loaded slopes near cornices. Hedge your bets by steering clear of large starting zones that are unsupported or with unfavorable consequences.  Identify obviously wind-loaded or wind textured terrain of concern.  

    You can use small test slopes and quick, informal tests to see how the snow reacts. Look for strong over weak structure, and travel accordingly.

    (2/22/2023)

    Isolated cracking in pockets of wind-drifted snow near Lake Wenatchee. 

    Photo: Brooke Maushund

Avalanche Discussion

Observers reported a large, snowboard triggered slide on a steep, wind loaded Southeast aspect near Cowboy Mountain on Tuesday. The slide was approximately 70ft wide and 2.5ft deep, running on a crust that was suspected from mid February (Valentines Day crust, (or Superbowl Crust depending on your preference). No injuries or burial was reported. WSDOT did control work and triggered a number of small slides, and one larger slide that was fairly wide and over 2ft deep. This slide may have run on the same crust. The debris covered all four lanes of Hwy 2.

You can find a couple of crusts in the top half of the snowpack, and some weak snow surrounding them. A thin crust, buried on the 13th (now known as the Valentines Crust) is now 2- 3ft below the surface. Tuesdays avalanche activity is the first we know of on this crust layer, so it'll be worth monitoring for a while.

Regions covered