West Slopes North

Expect hard, frozen snow surfaces as the main hazard to backcountry travel. Have the right gear for firm conditions. Don't hang out below glide cracks or other overhead hazards.

Other than a very low chance of a glide avalanche, there should be little to no avalanche danger on Friday. Sunshine returns, but temperatures will drop to levels not seen in nearly two weeks, and northeasterly winds will add extra bite to the cold. Stronger inversions and much colder temperatures are likely the farther east you travel in the forecast zone.

The biggest risk to backcountry travel is probably surface conditions combined with low-snow hazards, such as exposed rocks, creeks, etc. Slick crusts, bumpy runnels, and other not-fun surface features will stick around until we get more snow. It’s advisable to bring along sharp and pointy things like ski and/or boot crampons, and some sort of self-arrest tool if venturing into steeper terrain. South aspects have been reported as softening and providing good riding where the snow surface is relatively smooth.

Isolated pockets of unstable snow remain in the form of glide slabs and blocks clinging to cliffs and rocky terrain. Glide avalanches can still release during colder periods following a prolonged warm stretch. Identify these overhead hazards and limit your exposure regardless of temperature or sun. Watch for glide cracks, lumpy or wrinkled-looking snow below cliffs, and anything else that appears poorly attached to the mountain. 

Prolonged high pressure is typically when weak snow develops in the Cascades, and observers are beginning to report faceted snow on shady aspects. Thick surface crusts can still facet - and they are starting to - but much more slowly than dry, loose surface snow. Development may be more pronounced below the inversion or at upper elevations near the Cascade Crest, where surface crusts are thinner, and the upper snowpack is drier and more porous. The final variable will be the precipitation type when this high-pressure pattern breaks: rain would destroy weak surface snow, while cold, light snowfall with minimal wind would preserve it.