Loose Wet
- Alta quota
- Limite del bosco
- Sotto il limite del bosco
- Probabilità
- Likely
- Dimensione
- 1–2
As skies clear and temperatures rise today, you can expect snow surfaces to warm quickly at lower elevations. As the day continues, freezing levels will rise above 11,000', bringing the Wet Loose avalanche hazard into the high alpine. Look for rollerballs, pinwheels, mushy, unsupportable snow, and recent avalanche activity to alert you to the problem. Radiators such as rocks, vegetation, and cliff bands tend to heat up first, warming nearby snow quickly.
Wet Loose avalanches often fail from a single point and entrain heavy snow as they move downhill. Wet Loose avalanches can also trigger larger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers. Travel early when the snow surface is colder. Plan your trips to avoid crossing on or under very steep slopes in the afternoon. Move to colder slopes or to lower slope angles once the snow surface turns to mush. Avoid steep slopes above terrain traps, cliffs, and sustained steep pitches.
Photo: Mike Phillips
Wet Loose avalanche, East, above treeline terrain, start zone ~ 8000'. 3/22/25.