Avalanche forecast

East Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

Expect strong winds and thickening clouds Sunday ahead of a potent storm that will kick off another active weather week. Look and feel for changes in snow surface texture and hardness as you transition into wind-affected terrain. Steer around large upper elevation slopes greater than 35 degrees where you see wind redistributing cold, dry snow into fresh drifts.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Be on the lookout for increasing winds throughout the day Sunday with the development of fresh wind slabs at upper elevations. In isolated areas, these avalanches could even break a few feet thick and grow large. You are most likely to find areas of unstable, wind-drifted snow on the leeward side of exposed features including ridges, gullies, and rocky terrain. With snow depths tapering from west to east, expect larger and more sensitive wind slabs in areas closer to the Cascade Crest. 

    (12/31/2021)

    Keep an eye out for wind-affected snow and signs of wind loading. Wind-textured surfaces like in this photo could indicate wind-loaded slopes nearby.

    Photo: Dallas Glass

Avalanche Discussion

Bumping Ridge and Lost Horse SNOTELS reported around 8in (.5in WE) of new snow during the 12/29-30 storm. Active weather looks to return Sunday night with heavy precipitation expected and dangerous avalanche conditions likely developing by Monday.

For Saturday, you may find the recent storm snow to be loose and cohesionless in wind-sheltered areas. Don’t be surprised to see snow fall off rocks and trees and trigger small loose sluffs. These slides should stay localized to very steep and rocky areas and not pose much of a hazard to you as a backcountry traveler. If you see these small avalanches entraining significant amounts of snow or propagating into slabs, seek out routes away from similar features. 

There are still exposed rocks and trees in areas further east in the zone and at lower elevations. The deepest snowpacks are around Mt Aix and Bumping Ridge. The solstice crust is buried approximately 2-3 feet deep near the Cascade Crest and less than 1ft deep in the eastern parts of the zone. Current reports indicate that the storm snow is bonded well to the solstice crust. However, we have limited observations and significant uncertainty about snowpack conditions in alpine areas. It is worth approaching new terrain slowly and evaluating the snowpack as you venture into higher elevations.

If you are out riding in the East South Zone, please let us know what you see by submitting an observation. 

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