Avalanche forecast

Elkhorns

Wallowa Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Fresh wind slabs have formed in the alpine and near treeline during the last 24 hours.  You will find these fresh slabs of harder snow sitting on a firm crust from last week's warmup.  If you observe shooting cracks, large dune-like formations, or drum-like snow you've encountered a wind slab.   Stick to ridgelines and avoid traveling up or down through steep terrain with convex features as this is where you will expose yourself to the greatest risk.  

Use caution as losing an edge in firm conditions could easily turn into a slide-for-life situation.  

Forecast presented by  @onxbackcountry. onX Backcountry is a GPS navigation and mapping tool designed with your backcountry objectives in mind, equipped with Avalanche Forecast and Slope Angle layers, Offline Maps and more.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Winds picked up yesterday, predominately out of the NW.  Fresh wind slab development was noted by forecasters in the Northern Wallowas and Southern Wallowas.  Expect to find wind slabs on leeward aspects above treeline and near treeline on SE aspects.  You can likely trigger reactive wind slabs on steep terrain features and convex rolls.   

    I found isolated pockets of reactive wind slabs near treeline yesterday that were sensitive on steep convex rolls >30 degrees.  

Avalanche Discussion

We had a nice refresh in the Wallowas and Elkhorns over the past 48 hours.  After last week's heatwave, it was feeling more like winter again yesterday.  It began snowing on Monday and the storm finished up yesterday morning in most areas.  Overall around 4" of new snow has been observed in the mountains.  In some areas, you will find wind drifted pockets, where the snow has loaded up gully's and other terrain features that capture snow.  On any solar aspect SE-S-W, the new snow fell on a stout crust from last week's heatwave.  Yesterday while traveling in the Western Wallowas you could feel the crust on slopes greater than 25 degrees while skiing downhill.  Challenging uphill conditions exist, as the new snow has not bonded to the crust.  It would be easy to lose an edge and take a serious fall or get out of control on your snowmobile.  Take it easy, until the warmup over the next couple of days allows the new snow to more firmly bond.  

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