Bollettino valanghe

Blues

Wallowa Avalanche Center
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Limite del bosco
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In sintesi

The lack of overnight freezing temperatures combined with warm temperatures throughout the day will increase the chances of triggering wet loose avalanches on steep slopes.  Ridgeline cornices have become weak and could fail naturally or under the weight of a backcountry traveler.  Avoid corniced ridgelines and steep slopes where the surface snow is wet and lacks cohesion.   

This forecast is sponsored by M. Crow Company. 

Problemi valanghivi

  • Loose Wet

    • Alta quota
    • Limite del bosco
    • Sotto il limite del bosco
    Probabilità
    Possible
    Dimensione
    1–1.5

    Low temperatures last night did not dip below freezing.  Many weather stations struggled to drop below 40 degrees.  While direct sun will speed up the process,  expect wet loose avalanches to be less aspect-dependent today with the lack of a solid overnight freeze and anticipated high temperatures in the 50's-60's.   Saturated surface snow has lost cohesion and will easily be pushed into motion on slopes steeper than 35 degrees.  

    Look for clues to wet loose activity such as roller balls or pinwheels, and look for "point releases" out of rocky outcroppings or cliff bands.  Plan your travel accordingly to avoid being on or under warming steep slopes in the afternoon.   Expect any natural or human-triggered wet loose slides to run easily on a crust that sits below the surface snow.  

    Consider the results of getting caught up in even a small wet loose avalanche if it were to knock you off your feet and carry you over consequential terrain such as cliffs, into dense trees, or into a gully feature.

    (4/9/2025)

    Minor Rollerballs on a West Aspect

    Photo: Caleb Merrill

  • Cornices

    • Alta quota
    • Limite del bosco
    • Sotto il limite del bosco
    Probabilità
    Possible
    Dimensione
    1–2

    They are big, they are small, but no matter their size, they are becoming saggy and weak.  Cornices along ridgelines are losing strength in the warming temperatures.  Avoid traveling near the edge of ridgelines where cornices could break further back than you might expect.  Use rocks and trees as clues to know where terra firma is and build some buffer into your estimation.  

    Most cornices are near and above treeline on the northern half of the compass, but when approaching any ridgeline regardless of aspect, look for cornice development.  

    (3/8/2025)

    Sagging cornices are losing strength.  

    Photo: SD

Avalanche Discussion

If traveling in the mountains today, dig down at various elevation bands to investigate how deep into the snowpack meltwater has saturated the underlying snow.  If water is pooling on a crust, you have the off chance potential to get caught up in a more destructive wet slab avalanche.  Predicting the timing of wet slab avalanches is tricky, but if you are seeing numerous wet loose avalanches running naturally, your best bet is to stay off and out from underneath steep slopes. 

Previous observations in the Blues showed water pooling at some stout crusts up to 2 feet from the surface.   Uncertainty is high with the current state of the saturated snowpack, so step into consequential terrain with caution.  I'll be traveling to Spout Springs today to take a look at how things have been developing.  

Check out what I found in the Northern Wallowas yesterday in an observation here.  

With limited observations this time of year, uncertainty is higher.  Please submit an observation here and chip into the community info-sharing.  It can be simple, short, and even anonymous.  Thank you! 

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