Stevens Pass

In much of the zone, variable snow and challenging travel on icy and other firm, irregular surfaces will be a greater concern than avalanches. Exercise caution in steep or complex terrain where a slip or small, isolated avalanche could lead to an uncontrolled, treacherous fall. 

Temperatures will start cool but you can expect a rise in freezing levels from the previous days. Forecasts are all over the place for Wednesday, and an inversion with cool air pooling at lower elevations may keep pass level staying cooler than higher elevation air. We'll see a mix of sun and clouds, and south-facing slopes may soften a little. Otherwise you can expect highly variable crusty and firm, wind and sun- affected surfaces and maybe the odd sheltered patches of soft snow. Prepare for anything if you're planning on getting out. 

We don't particularly expect you'll find or be able to trigger any wet loose avalanches, as there isn't much soft snow around and it's not warming too much. Any softening snow may take place at higher elevations if there's an inversion, rather than down low. In general there's little concern for avalanches. At upper elevations, there's a chance you could trigger small chunks of wind-drifted snow in isolated areas. These would only be a problem for you if you're in very steep, extreme terrain where getting knocked off your feet might result in your getting sent off a cliff or hitting hard objects during your uncontrolled ride downslope. 

THIS observation from an outing to the Swath/North Chiwaukum on Monday sums up what most people who've gotten into the alpine are saying right now. Further summarized and most importantly, carry crampons and an ice axe if you plan on going into the alpine. Anticipate slide for life conditions. There are, however, occasional small pockets of soft snow. 

We've had several observation with reports of surface hoar and weak upper snowpack layers forming in recent days, including THIS forecaster outing at Jim Hill on Saturday, and THIS observation from outside the ski area boundary on Sunday. The last measurable snowfall (8-9") was on January 10-11th. On the 14th and 15th, small wet avalanches were reported on steep, sunny slopes with sun and warm temperatures. Those warmer days resulted in the crusts that now exist on most south-facing aspects. 

If you get out in the mountains, let us know what you see by submitting an observation HERE or via the Avy App.