Mt Hood

Tuesday will be another day of low avalanche danger and firm mountain travel. Expect firm, icy conditions, especially in alpine terrain. Don’t leave home without traction and the proper gear for your objective, and importantly weigh the consequences of slip before climbing or skiing in steeper terrain. 

Tuesday will be another day of minimal avalanche concerns and slick mountain travel as you climb above 6000 ft. Freezing levels should spike to 8000 ft in the afternoon before dropping in the evening. Cloud cover and moderate alpine winds will keep the upper snowpack locked up and firm. Your biggest concern will remain the long, sliding fall hazard in steep terrain. If you venture up to the mountain, be ready with the full kit of crampons/ski crampons, an ice axe, and a helmet. Equipped climbers will enjoy these conditions more than folks attempting to ski or ride. Keep in mind that any slip on steep terrain will be incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to self-arrest, given how firm the surfaces are. Please take these conditions seriously, especially given the recent long, sliding-fall accidents. 

Its been 17 days since Mt Hood has seen any precipitation. These last 17 days have been marked by warm upper/ middle elevation temperatures and cold valley inversions. This mountain snowpack has really taken a hit, particularly on steep sun exposed terrain or previously scoured ridges. You’ll find variable surface conditions depending on aspect, but the common theme is firm snow on most aspects, with the exception of sheltered northerlies, which may hold softer, near-surface faceting snow. Access has become more challenging, so give yourself more time to enter and exit the mountains and expect early-season travel conditions at lower elevations. 

Fortunately, there is some change in the weather forecast. There’s a range of outcomes for precipitation amounts in the weather models, so we’ll have to see how it plays out. If precipitation materializes and falls as snow, expect a gradual rise in avalanche danger as the week progresses.