Eastside Region

Avalanche danger is LOW. Use this time to continue refining your safe travel habits such as exposing one person at a time to steep slopes and good open communication within your group. Variable and firm conditions are the greatest hazard at the moment. 

Light winds, sunny skies, and great snow coverage could entice many to explore the alpine over the next couple of weeks.  Keep in mind all the challenging variable snow surfaces that exist including areas of firm wind board, refrozen crusts, sastrugi, and breakable crusts. An Ice ax or whippet, and ski and/or boot crampons are recommended for even mellow slopes unless you are sticking to sheltered northerly facing trees which could hold some nice soft snow.  

Forming good travel habits in the backcountry so they become automatic could save your life.  Habits take consistent practice to form, so even when conditions seem safe, set intentions to expose only one person at a time to steep slopes, plan to regroup in safe spots, avoid terrain traps such as gully bottoms, and perhaps most importantly TALK.  Keep everyone in your group involved in regular conversation about your route and plan.  Make it safe for everyone, even the less-experienced, to express concerns. LOW danger doesn’t mean NO danger, and a safe travel habit could save you from a freak event. Click HERE for Bruce Tremper’s “Ten Commandments for Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain.”

Full sunshine, light winds and temperatures 5-10°F warmer than yesterday could cause some small loose-wet instabilities today. Yesterday none were reported, but today’s warmer temps could tip the balance. Clear skies and cold temperatures overnight led to a very solid refreeze, so any loose-wet activity should remain superficial in the form of rollerballs originating near rock faces on E-S-SW facing slopes. Please let us know what you see out there thru our observations page!