Bulletin d’avalanche

East Slopes South

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Danger d’avalanche

Tue
Alpin
2 · Modéré
Limite forestière
2 · Modéré
Sous la limite
1 · Faible
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Périmé — ce bulletin a expiré 3 years ago. Vous consultez des conditions passées, pas le bulletin en cours.

Points saillants

After a brief lull in the winds, expect them to pick back up again and drift snow into stiff slabs where you could trigger avalanches. Look for actively blowing snow or older textured drifts to identify and avoid steep slopes where unstable wind-drifted snow collects. It's springtime, so if the skies clear for any length of time, watch for wet avalanches on steep, sunny slopes.

Problèmes avalancheux

  • Wind Slabs

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

    The East South received a healthy dose of spring snow on Friday and Saturday. Steady, moderate winds accompanied the spring storm, drifting the new snow into wind slabs on lee slopes. Older wind slabs may be stubborn, but another windy day tomorrow will likely build fresh shallow slabs that are easier to trigger. Steep slopes below corniced ridges, confined gullies, and the base of cliffs are the most likely places to get caught up in one of these avalanches. Look for actively drifting snow and textured surfaces to identify potential wind slab locations. If you suspect a steep slope to be wind-loaded or see obvious signs of unstable snow, such as shooting cracks, travel on lower angle slopes, ridge tops, or scoured wind-ward aspects instead. 

    Steer around pockets of drifted snow that appear textured or 'fat' like in this photo. 

    Photo: Joe Dellaporta

Avalanche Discussion

It's a tricky spring cloud forecast, but there is a chance the sun will make a prolonged appearance. If this is the case, you may see small wet loose avalanches on steep solar slopes. Look for rollerballs and pinwheels as warning signs that the snow surface is becoming wet and weak. Consider moving off steep sunny aspects if you notice the surface snow getting moist.

Lower trailheads are melting out, and bare patches exist on some groomed trails, all signs that spring is near. The weather, however, is still set on winter. Winter storms in the early spring tend to bring complex and overlapping avalanche problems. You may experience dry slab avalanches and a rapid transition to wet snow avalanches with even a brief period of sunshine. The rapidly changing weather often makes for a tricky avalanche forecast. Stay tuned to the changing snowpack conditions and look for signs of instability. Recent avalanches, rapidly melting snow surfaces, shooting cracks, or actively drifting snow are all signs of deteriorating snow stability. Monitor the snow as you travel and be prepared with options to travel on less consequential terrain with lower angle slopes if you find questionable snowpack conditions. 

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