Mt Hood

You may still encounter minor wet snow issues on steep sun-exposed slopes. These lingering sluffs should be small and isolated, but don't be caught off guard in consequential terrain. An approaching storm will bring increasing clouds and winds Monday and light snowfall Tuesday.

The snowpack may not freeze very hard below 7000ft overnight Sunday with warm temperatures expected. Strong NW winds and increasing clouds Monday should counter the warmer temperatures and any sunshine though, and loose wet activity should be limited. Still take time to evaluate snow surfaces before committing to steeper terrain looking for wet, slushy snow. If you find yourself sinking in more than 6in, it's best to choose lower angle slopes. Remember that terrain traps such as valley bottoms, cliffs, or recently exposed talus will all increase the risk of even a small avalanche. Also, be alert if you climb high into wind-affected alpine terrain, especially below cliffs, near cornices, and on rocky slopes where there is a low chance of triggering an old wind slab.

The 2/26-3/2 atmospheric river event altered the snowpack leaving variable conditions. Below treeline, snow surfaces are covered in tree debris with a few south and west-facing slopes melted out to bare ground. Between 5500-6500ft, 3-5in of cold recycled powder sits atop a firm crust; in these areas, you'll find the best travel conditions on sheltered northerly aspects and the best chance for lingering loose wet activity on E-S-W aspects. Above 6500ft, snow surfaces a mixed bag with plenty of wind-affected, grabby snow. 

There was an impressive avalanche cycle on Mt Hood earlier in the week during the wet and wild storm. During peak precipitation intensity on 2/28, several very large natural avalanches released high on the mountain. In a few cases, these avalanches ran through the rain/snow line around 8000ft and entrained significant wet snow creating very large, river-like debris piles. Check out a few of the largest documented avalanches from the 2/26-3/2 atmospheric river in our avalanche occurrence database: Clark Canyon, Eliot Glacier Headwall, White River Canyon.