Avalanche Forecast
Northwest Inland
Slopes that are sheltered from the wind and sun will likely offer the best riding.
Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
- Watch for whumpfing, hollow sounds, shooting cracks or recent avalanches.
Avalanche Problem 2: Deep Persistent Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
The late October crust lies near the base of the snowpack with a thin layer of weak, sugary snow above it. This layer should be on a strengthening trend, but a heavy trigger in a thin snowpack area may still be enough to cause it to react.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Be especially cautious in shallow snowpack areas where triggering a deeper layer may be easier.
- Be aware of the possibility for full depth avalanches due to deeply buried weak layers.
Avalanche Summary
No recent avalanche observations.
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Snowpack Summary
Snow surfaces are highly variable throughout the region. Solar and temperature crusts have formed on sun-exposed slopes, while stiff, stubborn wind slabs linger in leeward alpine terrain. Feathery surface hoar and surface facets have formed below treeline up to 1500 m.
Approximately 30-50 cm of snow sits on two crusts that were buried near the end of November. These crusts are widespread and extend into the alpine. Although snowpack tests have previously shown hard results at these crust interfaces, more recent observations have been limited. Below these crusts, a well settled mid-pack overlies the late October crust near the base of the snowpack. This "crust/facet combo" layer is widespread and has not been reactive to rider and remote triggers since the end of November. These rain crusts will likely be with us all winter but may not pose a problem until we see a significant change in the weather.
Average snowpack depths now total 80-140 cm at treeline elevations and up to 160 cm in the alpine.
Weather Forecast
Saturday: Cloudy with sunny periods. Alpine temperatures -2 and freezing levels 1000 m. Ridgetop winds strong from the southwest.
Sunday: Mix of sun and cloud. Alpine temperatures -3. Ridgetop winds light with strong gusts from the southwest.
Monday: MIx of sun and cloud. Alpine temperatures -7. Ridgetop winds light from the southwest.
Check out the Mountain Weather Forecast for more detail.
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New wind slabs may be rider triggered. Watch for triggering in higher elevation, wind-exposed terrain.