Bollettino valanghe

East Slopes North

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Pericolo valanghe

Thu
Alta quota
1 · Debole
Limite del bosco
1 · Debole
Sotto il limite
1 · Debole
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In sintesi

Get ready for another day of sunshine and mild temperatures at mid and upper elevations.  Even with Low Danger, you still have to consider the potential for small wet loose avalanches releasing below sunlit cliffy terrain or on very steep sunny slopes.  You'll encounter a variety of snow surfaces along depending on aspect and elevation along with challenging travel at lower elevations due to low snow.   

Problemi valanghivi

  • Loose Wet

    • Alta quota
    • Limite del bosco
    • Sotto il limite del bosco
    Probabilità
    Unlikely
    Dimensione
    1

    Small wet loose avalanches will likely be confined to isolated areas below steep rocky terrain or on very steep sunny slopes during the middle part of the day. Take care around terrain traps and be aware of your overhead hazard where a small avalanche can have an outsized impact.  

    Persistent temperature inversions will stick around meaning colder air remains trapped at lower elevations and below the cloud deck, and much warmer air will be found at mid and upper elevations above the muck.  The western part of the zone will likely be slightly warmer at mid and high elevations than areas further east.  If you're out in the mountains midweek, let us know what you see! 

    While generally safe avalanche conditions are expected across the zone, pay attention if you see signs that the hazard is higher in your local area than anticipated.  In sunnier terrain, if you find surface crusts breaking down and you're sinking into wet snow more than a few inches deep, change aspects or move to lower angle terrain.  You're likely to find soft snow and good riding and sliding conditions on shady aspects. 

    (12/17/2023)

    Keep an eye out for recent wet loose avalanches in sunlit cliffy terrain.  Put some space between you and similar slopes.   

    Photo: Katie Warren

Avalanche Discussion

It's a rinse and repeat story both weather and avalanche-wise until something (like a more active pattern at the end of the week) literally mixes the atmosphere up.  Bundle up down low in the gray and bring your sunglasses above the inversion, likely 4000-4500', as daytime temperatures warm into the upper 30s to near 50F. 

On Saturday, forecaster Katie Warren traveled on southerly slopes near Cutthroat Peak and found a thin sun crust topped with surface hoar up to around 6300'. This crust likely now extends to higher elevations following a 3 more days of sunshine and rising high freezing levels.  The snowpack was shallow but right-side up, with soft, weakening snow in the upper pack and consolidated snow in the mid and lower snowpack. There is plenty of wind-affected snow. Expect to find a smattering of snow surfaces shaped the wind, sun, and temperature fluctuations over the last week. 

Lower elevation snowpacks are still thin, and travel off roads or summer trails below 5000ft would be challenging. Snow depths near the Hairpin Valley at road level were 2-3ft.  But as you gain elevation, a deeper but variable snowpack exists with snow depths from 3 to 5 feet (80-150+cm) above 6000ft on northerly terrain. Southerly aspects at similar elevations held a shallower snowpack between 2-3ft deep.  Take care - many early-season obstacles, such as trees, rocks, logs, and creeks, are exposed or sometimes barely hidden underneath wind drifted surfaces. 

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