Bulletin d’avalanche

Mt Hood

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Danger d’avalanche

Mon
Alpin
2 · Modéré
Limite forestière
2 · Modéré
Sous la limite
2 · Modéré
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Périmé — ce bulletin a expiré 4 years ago. Vous consultez des conditions passées, pas le bulletin en cours.

Points saillants

Small wet avalanche activity and isolated cornice fall will continue Sunday with another round of sunshine and warm temperatures. Anticipate increasing avalanche danger as it heats up and snow surfaces thaw. Start and end your day early, and steer away from steep terrain where you find wet, slushy snow.

Problèmes avalancheux

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Possible
    Taille
    1–2

    A cool night should allow the snowpack to freeze and gain strength. You can expect variable snow surfaces and melt-freeze crusts in the morning. With strong sunshine and high temperatures in the 40s, snow surfaces will quickly thaw and become wet on all aspects by mid-day. Loose wet activity has been ongoing since Thursday, with widespread rollerballs and small avalanches on most sun-exposed slopes. A wet loose sluff in motion even triggered a slab avalanche on the SW aspect of Gnarl Ridge Friday (photo below). These active conditions look to continue through the weekend. If you see wet slides gouging into old snow layers or widespread activity above treeline, call it a day and head home early. In addition to wet avalanches, expect snow to simply fall down and shed off trees, rocks, and cliffs. When you encounter wet, punchy snow, choose lower angle terrain or move to shady slopes to reduce your risk. 

    (4/22/2022)

    A natural loose wet avalanche (D1.5) in Gods Wall that ran 4/21 (NE, 5000ft)

    Photo: MHM Patrol

  • Cornices

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Possible
    Taille
    1–2

    Storms throughout the past week left thick slabs of wind drifted snow on lee slopes. Even more concerning are the heavy and precarious cornices that formed along most ridgelines. Cornices right now may be larger and more overhung than we have seen all winter. If they fall they could act as huge triggers on slopes below and pull out slabs several feet thick. Avoid overhead exposure to cornices whenever possible, particularly during the heat of the day. Use great care on ridge crests to stay on solid ground, well away from the root of the cornice.

    (4/21/2022)

    Skier triggered cornice fall on the east aspect of Pea Gravel Ridge.

    Photo: Andrew Kiefer

Avalanche Discussion

After weeks of wintery weather and 135in of snow so far this April, spring has finally returned. The mountains are seeing higher temperatures and more sunshine each day, and the snowpack is going through a significant transition. There are a host of avalanche problems on Mt Hood right now, so pay attention to changing conditions throughout the day and default to simple terrain when things start to heat up. Observers Friday and Saturday reported several loose wet avalanches and rollerballs on all aspects, along with fresh cornice fall. Surfaces were variable with aspect and elevation with breakable and supportable crusts, soggy mashed-potato snow, and some dry wind affected snow up high. 

Mt Hood Meadows Clark Creek Fatality: After extensive review, we are unable to conclude whether the snowboarder’s death due to asphyxiation was more likely caused by snow burial from an avalanche or immersion in deep snow. Read the full report here. 

This is NWAC’s last daily avalanche forecast for the 2021-2022 winter season. Mountain Weather Forecasts will continue until May 1. Make sure to check our Spring Avalanche Statement for information and travel advice. NWAC will continue to track snow and weather conditions. Large storms and/or widespread avalanche cycles may cause us to issue special avalanche bulletins, avalanche warnings, or other spring statements to keep you informed.  You can help your backcountry community by continuing to submit observations of avalanches, snow, and pertinent weather to our site.  Have a fun and safe spring recreating in the mountains!

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