Avalanche forecast

Southern Wallowas

Wallowa Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired 5 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Warm temperatures and sunny skies will impact the snow surface today, increasing the possibility of triggering  wet loose avalanches on sunny aspects in steep terrain.  If you find yourself sinking up to your boot tops while skinning or walking off of your machine, it's time to move to lower angle slopes and shadier aspects.  It also remains possible to trigger a lingering windslab along leeward ridgelines.  Avoid obviously wind loaded areas.  

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Temperatures are forecasted to be in the upper 30's today with plenty of sun in the sky to warm up the snow surface.  This will create the potential to trigger a wet loose avalanche in the new snow.   The new snow sits atop crusts on south and west aspects that will make an ideal bed surface for wet loose avalanches.  Likely places to trigger a wet loose avalanche will be near rocks and on slopes steeper than 35 degrees.  If you see signs of the new snow becoming uncohesive such as pinwheels/rollerballs, point releases out of steep rocky areas, or sinking up to your boot tops in wet loose snow, it is time to seek lower angle terrain on a shadier aspect.  Make an exit plan where you can avoid travelling underneath solar aspects in the afternoon hours.  

    An example of a "point release" and wet loose avalanche

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Naturally releasing wind slabs were reported at the top of South Bowl along Wing Ridge from friday.  Strong winds from the NW have loaded the leeward sides of upper ridgelines.   Although these stiff slabs are likely stabilizing with time, avoiding obviously wind loaded areas is recommended.  Look for clues of wind loading such as building cornices, pillowy and rounded mounds of snow just below ridgeline, or a rippled snow surface.  Cornices should also be given a wide berth as they could break further back than you think. 

    Natural D2 windslab release in South Bowl from 2/4/22. Photo: AB

Avalanche Discussion

Timing your travel plans appropriately and changing aspects as the sun warms up solar slopes will help you to find the best riding and avoid the chance of being involved in a wet loose avalanche today.  I would suspect the best riding will be on lower angle shadier slopes toay.  While travelling on shadier aspects, continue to look for how well the last storm's snow is bonding to the old snow surface.   Curious observers have been digging deeper in the upper snowpack to inspect the weaker snow that surrounds a crust about 16" below the snow surface.  Test results have indicated failures, but no propagation has been reported in tests in the last week.  Thanks for the observations, and keep them coming! Click here to submit an observation. 

Happening this weekend......The Eastern Oregon Backcountry Festival at Anthony Lakes! 

Today's events include: 

  • WAC forecasting team led ski/splitboard tours into Angel Basin

More information on the events for the weekend can be found here.

Online Auction and Raffle -Similar to last winter we are having an online auction and raffle with some amazing prizes.  Thanks to all of the local generosity for putting together some sweet donation items.  You can go to the Auction here.  All proceeds will help cover the cost of avalanche forecasting this winter.  Also, be sure to check out some of our new WAC Apparel in our online store.  

Forecast presented by @onxbackcountry. onXbackcountry 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.

 

 

Regions covered