Avalanche forecast

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

Tuesday should be yet another day of very mild temperatures. Wet loose avalanches may be easily triggered on steep slopes, and could entrain heavy wet snow in larger features. Cornice fall and glide avalanches associated with this spring shed cycle may occur, so steer clear of potential runout zones.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    It's been several days and nights of mild weather, and the snowpack is melting. Wet loose avalanches are the main concern, although in reality there's a smattering of wet snow-related avalanche problems. Wet loose avalanches may be easy to trigger with the combination of a steep slope and sloppy snow. Some slides could grow larger in larger terrain features. If you sink into wet snow up to your boot-tops, it might be time to move to lower angle slopes. Any slope with a thin crust should melt and become weak early in the day. Consider avoiding steep areas with increased consequences such as terrain above cliffs, gullies, or complex terrain with large features overhead. 

    Consider the consequences of other types of wet avalanche problems. Cornices are sagging and may continue to fall during this warm spell. Glide avalanches have been observed in the Stevens Pass Mountain Resort Backcountry. Each day of continued mild temperatures also adds the potential for large but isolated, wet slab releases.

    Example wet loose avalanches

    Photo: Matt Primomo

Avalanche Discussion

We're at the tail end of a warm spell on Tuesday before some cooler weather arrives on Wednesday. Stevens Pass Ski Patrol reported that small wet loose avalanches were easy to trigger on Monday, with slides entraining the upper 8" of wet snow. Glide cracks were observed on Big Chief Ridge. These may continue to open up and could fail without warning. Expect any thin surface crusts to melt and break down quickly, and you may encounter many areas of unsupportive, weak snow. Warm temperatures and rain since March 21st brought a widespread cycle of wet avalanches (to size D2) early last week. Continued warm temperatures further transitioned the upper snowpack to melt forms.

Upper elevation, northerly aspects are the last to change over, and this is where the potential for larger slides is thought to exist. Observers noted signs of instability on northerly aspects above 5,500ft a few weeks ago. A cornice falling in the wrong place could potentially trigger a wet slab and involve this older layer.

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