Bulletin d’avalanche

East Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Danger d’avalanche

Fri
Alpin
2 · Modéré
Limite forestière
2 · Modéré
Sous la limite
1 · Faible
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Périmé — ce bulletin a expiré 5 years ago. Vous consultez des conditions passées, pas le bulletin en cours.

Points saillants

Avalanche danger will be on the rise Thursday as another storm impacts the region. Additional snow and wind will create fresh drifts at upper elevations where triggering a large avalanche may be possible by afternoon. Look for blowing snow and textured surfaces to help figure out which slopes hold wind-loaded snow that you want to avoid.

Problèmes avalancheux

  • Wind Slabs

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

    As more snow becomes available to blow around, wind slabs will form along ridges, exposed gullies, and the base of cliffs. Even though many of these slides should remain small, they could hurt you if they carry you over the shallow early season snow full of rocks, trees, and open creeks. By Thursday afternoon, large avalanches may even be possible on upper elevation slopes greater than 35 degrees, especially closer to the Cascade Crest. Look and feel for signs of wind-loading as you travel like blowing snow and changes in snow surface texture and hardness. Seek out lower-angle terrain or wind-sheltered areas to reduce your risk.

    (12/10/2021)

    Example: Visual clues like these can help you anticipate wind slabs as you travel. 

    Photo: Dallas Glass

Avalanche Discussion

A look into the East South zone from the upper Tieton River Valley on Tuesday showed a generally thin snowpack. While most slopes now hold continuous snow, lots of rocks and trees were still visible. The deepest snowpacks were seen around the Mt Aix and Bumping Ridge areas. 

Nearby locations along the Cascade Crest saw several natural loose wet avalanches and numerous rollerballs on Tuesday as a result of warm temperatures and sunshine. While none of these slides were large, they highlight the relatively warm snow surface. This should help the incoming storm snow to bond well at this interface. One large slab avalanche was reported in the White Pass backcountry. This avalanche likely occurred Monday night. 

Even as the snowpack has grown recently, there’s still a huge amount of variability; north to south and east to west. Several recent storm layers and crust can be found. However, despite this variability, we anticipate most avalanches to remain above the 12/21 crust/strom interface. If you head out into the snow this week, you can help shape the forecast by letting us know what you see.

Régions couvertes