Bulletin d’avalanche

East Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Danger d’avalanche

Sat
Alpin
3 · Marqué
Limite forestière
3 · Marqué
Sous la limite
2 · Modéré
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Périmé — ce bulletin a expiré 8 months ago. Vous consultez des conditions passées, pas le bulletin en cours.

Points saillants

You can trigger large and dangerous avalanches in wind-exposed terrain where recent and ongoing winds have built cornices and stiff slabs. Avoid being on steep slopes where you see recent avalanches, wind-sculpted features, or thickly drifted pillows of snow. Stick to wind-sheltered terrain and well-supported, short slopes under 35 degrees.

Problèmes avalancheux

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Likely
    Taille
    1.5–2.5

    Given the recent wind, it's best to stay off wind-loaded or leeward slopes 35 degrees or steeper. Stick to sheltered or windward slopes. Be aware of cornices. Don't walk out onto them or linger under them.

    Gusty wind and light snow will subside throughout Friday. Look for recent avalanches or deeply pillowed slabs to indicate the danger. Avalanches could break into old snow layers, including on a crust that was buried around the New Year. Observers reported a couple of these bigger avalanches on Wednesday. Slides on the crust or involving all of the recent snow on leeward slopes could easily be 2-3 deep.

     

    (1/7/2026)

    Broken cornices and a very deep crown in unsupported terrain. This likely occurred on the night of Jan 6th. Cutthroat Lake area, N, 7,200ft

    Photo: NCMG

  • Loose Dry

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

    There's plenty of light, dry snow on a variety of wind-sheltered slopes. In very steep terrain, surface snow could sluff off as a loose avalanche. As skies clear, watch for sun-triggered loose avalanches on steep, southerly slopes. Use caution where avalanches can push you into rocks or off cliffs. 

    (11/30/2025)

    An example of loose avalanches on the southwest face of Tower Mtn. Point release avalanches (likely loose dry) in the foreground (right side) may've occurred on 11/28. SW, 7,000ft

    Photo: Joe Dellaporta

Avalanche Discussion

Observers continue to report avalanches and signs of instability in wind-loaded terrain that involve all (2ft) of the recent storm snow, and even breaking on the January 3rd crust. A cycle of natural avalanches occurred on the night of the 6th, up to size D2.5. On Thursday, observers triggered an avalanche in a small wind-loaded pocket that broke 2.5 feet deep on the New Year's crust. 

The most problematic slopes are where wind-drifted slabs are resting over a robust version of the New Year's crust. Observers have noted that the crust is more pronounced at upper elevations where temperature inversions occurred. It could also vary with aspect and slope angle. There have been occasional reports of a weak layer resting on it.  A couple of observers found buried surface hoar below 5,500ft in the Cutthroat drainage, though it hasn't been found elsewhere. If you venture to upper elevations, take time to dig to the crust. Any sudden or propagating test results should be a "red flag" sign to stick to lower-angle terrain. 

Régions couvertes