Avalanche Forecast By Zone
Spring Snow Conditions:
Timing and preparedness are critical in springtime adventures. Pre-plan your travel routes and have the right equipment for the expected conditions. It is important to recognize that warmed snow surfaces can become firm and slick when they refreeze. Consider carrying crampons and an ice axe if you plan to travel over refrozen surfaces- especially in terrain of consequence.
Spring Diurnal Mindset: During the ideal springtime freeze-thaw cycle that’s called “spring diurnal,” it’s important to start and end your day earlier. For skiers and riders looking for prime spring riding conditions, the quality of your turns decreases along with snowpack stability as the snow becomes loose and slushy. Checking the weather forecast for the expected freezing level, ambient air temperature, wind speed, and amount of sunshine are contributing factors. The following weather forecasts are useful as they provide the anticipated freezing levels, sky cover, air temperature, etc.
You can move the point forecast to your desired location and make your own bookmark, too.
Wet Loose Avalanches:
This avalanche problem is often preceded by roller balls and pinwheels releasing from rocky outcroppings. The best way to manage Wet Loose avalanches is to travel when the snow surface is colder and stronger. Time your trips to avoid crossing on or under very steep slopes in the heat of the day. Move to colder, shadier aspects or off of rain-soaked slopes before the snow surface turns slushy.
Cornices should also be given a wide berth, as they often fail much further back than one would expect. Traveling beneath steep slopes with cornices overhead is a poor idea, especially when it’s this warm.
Thank You:
As we wind down for the season, the WAC would like to thank everyone who contributed to the WAC this season! Whether you submitted an observation, attended an event, set up a beacon park, volunteered, baked a pie, etc., we can’t thank you enough. This organization relies on community support and has become a valuable resource for avalanche safety information in NE OR. Thanks to all of the businesses and clubs that sponsored our avalanche forecasts this winter. Our hats are off to Ski Doo and Teeter’s Toys in Baker City for providing us with a loaner snowmobile for the season. Gratitude is also in order to Outlaw Motorsports in Enterprise, for generously donating an Arctic Cat snowmobile, which we raffled this past fall. Please support these local shops, as they’ve gone above and beyond for the WAC.
Thanks to Ski Doo and Teeter’s Toys for the loaner snowmobile. We can’t thank you enough.
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