West Slopes North

Although avalanche danger is generally low, there are plenty of hazards that exist, given where you travel. Wind-affected snow and variable crusts are evident on many slopes. If the sun is more intense than expected, there may still be the odd wet avalanche on a steep slope facing the sun, and a small isolated pocket of wind-drifted snow at upper elevations could still avalanche with a human trigger. 

Friday will be the third day since a storm produced 4 - 6 inches of snow. Intense sunlight Wednesday resulted in rollerballs and wet loose avalanches on the southern half. More cloud cover Thursday meant a little less wet activity, but slides were still reported (observation). By Friday, a small wet avalanche could still occur if the sun shines intensely on a steep slope, but first, it'll have to soften crusts that developed from the previous days.

If you notice snow getting moist and rollerballs or small wet slides running on steep nearby slopes, steer onto shadier aspects or stick to lower-angle terrain away from where those avalanches are running. Wet snow could slide easily on the crust beneath the new snow layer. 

Wind during and after the last storm caused plenty of drifted features, yet observers reported unreactive conditions in the Baker backcountry. An observer on Thursday found firmer wind slabs and experienced cracking on Mt Ann. They avoided steep, wind-loaded slopes. As you near higher elevations and more distant locations in the zone, you might be able to find drifted pockets that you could trigger a small avalanche on. Avoid steep, wind-loaded slopes if you have any doubts. 

Any avalanches will probably be small. Your largest concern with triggering and getting caught in an avalanche is terrain traps: Stop and reevaluate the snow before entering a steep slope where you're over an abrupt bench or gully, above a cliff band, or a patch of trees or rocks.

Lower elevations have bumpy, irregular crusts, and on slopes on the southern half, you will find varying thicknesses of crusts that may or may not soften with the sun (observation). Your largest concern for the day might be hard debris chunks covered by very little snow (observation).  Sheltered north-facing slopes still have soft dry snow, although the wind has affected surfaces in exposed areas. 

After an atmospheric river near the end of February finished with 1-2ft of dry snow, a warm period followed with snow on all aspects getting wet. The surface froze before our recent storm. After a few springlike days with fickle clouds and warm but varying wind and temperatures, we're in for the next burst of moisture for the weekend and beyond. 

If you make it into the backcountry please share with us what you find by submitting an observation HERE or on the Avy app.