Bulletin d’avalanche

West Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Danger d’avalanche

Fri
Alpin
2 · Modéré
Limite forestière
1 · Faible
Sous la limite
1 · Faible
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Périmé — ce bulletin a expiré 2 years ago. Vous consultez des conditions passées, pas le bulletin en cours.

Points saillants

It's possible you could trigger an avalanche in wind drifted snow, especially at upper elevations. Wind has redistributed snow over the last two days, and you can search for thicker snow deposits with textured or pillowlike surfaces. Consider avoiding these locations in steep terrain. 

Problèmes avalancheux

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Possible
    Taille
    1–1.5

    Observers from the last two days reported seeing wind transported snow, but still, no one has encountered an avalanche. Limited information exists at higher elevations, and with the wind redistribution we've seen it's not unlikely that you could trigger an avalanche out there. THIS observer from Wednesday in the Baker backcountry reported finding wind slabs, but easily being able to avoid them. 

    Search for wind textured snow or pillowlike features. Feel for stiffer snow beneath you. Long shooting cracks are strong indicators that your weight is impactive a sensitive slab. If you encounter any of these things, consider avoiding nearby slopes greater than 35°.  Any avalanches you trigger would likely be shallow, and your greatest harm would be getting caught and dragged through rocks, trees, sent off a cliff, or being buried deep in a gully. 

    (12/11/2024) Lots of evidence of wind including areas scoured to dirt out towards the Pinnacle. On the left in the foreground you can see old tracks, stripped by the wind, but on the right you can see fresh, smooth deposits, which are areas you might consider avoiding, or testing first, before entering steep slopes.  Photo: Kameron Decker Harris

Avalanche Discussion

Variable crusts exist in both wind-stripped and previously sun-baked south-facing areas, making travel challenging in some of these locations. Backcountry travelers are still reporting finding nice stashes of low density snow, however. 

A storm over the weekend brought rain that finished as snow- over a foot of it at mid and upper elevations. Tests have indicated good bonding between the crust that formed on the old snow surface, and the new snow layer on top. 

If you get out in the backcountry, please share with us what you saw by SUBMITTING AN OBSERVATION, so that we can write better avalanche forecasts for you. 

Régions couvertes