Bollettino valanghe

Mt Hood

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Pericolo valanghe

Fri
Alta quota
4 · Forte
Limite del bosco
3 · Marcato
Sotto il limite
Senza grado
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In sintesi

A powerful storm will bring heavy snow, strong winds, warming temperatures, and rain up to nearly 8000 ft. This combination will create very dangerous avalanche conditions, especially on wind-loaded upper elevation slopes. Try to be out of the mountains early, and avoid being on or under slopes greater than 35 degrees. 

Problemi valanghivi

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alta quota
    • Limite del bosco
    • Sotto il limite del bosco
    Probabilità
    Very Likely
    Dimensione
    1.5–2.5

    New snow accumulations will stack up on warming temperatures before we see an unfortunate transition to rain. As the day progresses, we’ll see rain extend well into our upper elevations, which could set the stage for a natural avalanche cycle above 6000 ft during the late morning and afternoon hours. As usual, expect these slabs to be larger and pack a bigger punch in wind-loaded terrain, and as you skin or climb into upper elevations that have seen significant loading in the past day. 

    If you decide to head out, pay close attention to red flags like cracking, hard-over-soft layering, wind loading, and warming. These obvious signs of instability should not be taken lightly if you venture above 6000 ft. Any triggered avalanche - big or small- would be a nasty ride with all the early-season obstacles that still plague the terrain around Mt Hood. Let the storm run its course before riding or climbing in on or under steep terrain. 

    (2/1/2025)

    Cracking like this is a good reason to simplify your terrain choices. 

    Photo: Joe Dellaporta

  • Loose Wet

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

    Some level of wet avalanche activity is likely as snow levels rise and rain begins falling on a thin, dry snowpack. Look for this problem to become more widespread in the late morning and afternoon as wet snow abruptly changes to rain. These will be most prevalent on steep and unsupported features above the snow line. Watch for rollerballs fanning downslope, wet -sticky surfaces, and fresh wet loose avalanches as clear indicators to move off steeper terrain.

    (3/2/2022)

    An example of a wet loose avalanche from past seasons. You could see similar activity like this on Thursday. 

    Photo: Andrew Kiefer

Avalanche Discussion

Mt. Hood and the southern Washington Volcanos are getting the lion's share of precipitation and warming out of Thursday’s storm. A widespread natural avalanche cycle isn’t a sure thing, but given the weather forecast, it seems pretty likely we will see some activity as freezing levels rise, especially in those more wind-loaded areas above 6000 ft. While many trailhead elevations may not feel dangerous, expect a very different scene as you climb above 6 to 6,500 ft, where recent loading and new snow have built a more layered and connected snowpack. 

Wednesday marked the first phase of wind loading at upper and mid elevations across the zone. Prior to this, Mt. Hood struggled to grip onto winter conditions below 7,000 feet, while snowpack coverage improved significantly above that elevation. Unfortunately, a high-elevation rain event last week refroze many of these older alpine surfaces into a nearly bulletproof layer of ice. As new snow and loading continue on Thursday, these old icy surfaces could act as an ideal bed surface for avalanches to run on. 

If you plan on heading out to one of the ski areas, remember to respect the uphill policy and to complete your own snowpack assessment. Closed ski areas are unmitigated and should be treated as a backcountry snowpack. 

The weather over the past few weeks has been extraordinary, with torrential rains, extreme winds, flooding, and landslides. Many communities are dealing with damage to homes, infrastructure, and businesses, stretching resources thin. These events have limited access to the mountains for all of us. State and local resources are working diligently to reduce the worst of these impacts. We can help by being respectful of local communities, obeying road closures, and heeding ski area uphill travel policies.

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