Bollettino valanghe

Stevens Pass

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Pericolo valanghe

Mon
Alta quota
2 · Moderato
Limite del bosco
2 · Moderato
Sotto il limite
1 · Debole
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Non aggiornato — questo bollettino è scaduto 3 years ago. Stai vedendo condizioni passate, non il bollettino in corso.

In sintesi

Easterly winds will trend downward, but unfortunately, you could still trigger avalanches in wind drifted snow. These stiff slabs may rest over weaker snow layers and could surprise you by breaking larger and wider than expected. There is uncertainty around where you could trigger one of these lingering slabs, so it is best to steer around steep slopes with deep drifts. 

Problemi valanghivi

  • Wind Slabs

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

    East winds will notch down on Sunday, but the recently formed wind slabs may rest over weak, faceted snow in some locations. This setup can prolong instabilities and make for surprising avalanches. Look for wind-textured and stiffer snow surfaces to help pinpoint where you could trigger an avalanche. If you see cracks that shoot away from you in deep drifts, steer around steep terrain or move to more sheltered slopes. Likely locations for wind slabs to form are below corniced ridges, convex rolls, steep gullies, and at the base of cliffs. 

    You can use small, inconsequential test slopes to check how easily the snow slides. However, with inconsistent distribution of these weak layers, these tests could be misleading. A better option is to avoid the problem by sticking to well-supported or lower-angle slopes or seeking wind-sheltered terrain for travel. Slides could be just a few inches deep or break 1.5ft down on the stout crust from Early February (see photo). Any slide that breaks on this crust could be larger and wider than you may anticipate. 

    (2/13/2024)

    Skiers triggered a slab avalanche (D1.5) at upper elevations on 2/13.  Jim Hill, NE, 6,500ft

Avalanche Discussion

Sunday should be a fairly mellow day with cloud cover and a few light snow showers. Temperatures are warming, but we expect light easterly winds to keep the pass below freezing.

Observers report variable surface conditions with widespread wind effect, scoured slopes, old debris, and sheltered areas with soft snow above a stout crust. There are also reports of some small reactive wind slabs around the zone. Before this storm, cold, clear weather formed surface hoar and near-surface facets, which may be preserved below a few inches of snow or lurk below recent wind slabs. Weak, faceted snow above the stout crust from early February is still a lingering concern and is now buried 1-1.5ft deep. On Tuesday, a skier triggered a slide 1.5ft deep on this crust on a NE aspect at 6,500ft on Jim Hill. A different party on Jim Hill reported some large whumphing collapses that same day. Other observations from this zone and the neighboring East Central and East North zones show this layer is also problematic.

If you make it out, please share what you found with an observation.

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