Avalanche forecast

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

We expect the cooling temperatures to reduce wet avalanche concerns at lower elevations. However, a little new snow with strong winds may build shallow but reactive slabs in wind-drifted snow at upper elevations. Wet, heavy snow or shooting cracks in wind-drifted snow are signs that avalanches are more likely, and you should choose lower-angle terrain. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Watch for actively drifting snow, shooting cracks, or stiff snow over softer layers as signs of wind slabs. Ridgelines and cross-loaded gullies at upper elevations are the most likely places to encounter this problem. Choose sheltered terrain or steer around steep slopes with deep drifts to avoid triggering avalanches. 

    We have limited information from the upper elevations since the storm on Tuesday, but above 6000ft, precipitation may have fallen as mostly snow. So, lingering soft snow could be available to drift into wind slabs as winds increase along with fresh snow on Saturday. There isn't much new snow in the forecast, so the size of these avalanches will largely be dictated by how much soft snow is left for transport. The recent warm temperatures lead us to believe that most avalanches will remain small within the fresh snow. However, be prepared to assess wind-drifted snow for depth and reactivity before committing to large alpine terrain. 

    (12/8/2024)

    An example of a small avalanche in wind-drifted snow. 

    Photo: Josh Hirshberg

Avalanche Discussion

We're coming out of a wet and warm storm cycle that resulted in widespread natural avalanches throughout the zone. Friday should bring some much-needed cooling temperatures and a little fresh snow. We expect this to put a pin in most of the wet avalanche problems, except for the lower end of the low elevations. There isn't much snow down at those elevations, and it's already seen a lot of liquid water or is capped with a thick freezing rain crust, so we expect any wet avalanches to be isolated and small. 

On Thursday, observers reported crusts of varying thicknesses and supportability throughout the zone. However, there was a consensus that travel had improved from earlier in the week, with surfaces becoming increasingly supportable. That said, travel wasn't ideal by any metric since you still had to navigate breakable crusts, wet-heavy snow, or supportable slick crusts. As temperatures continue to cool, expect hard, icy crusts to become the primary surface, hopefully with a dusting of new snow to freshen things up. 

If you're in the mountains, let us know what you see by submitting an observation... even if it seems not very interesting.

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