East Slopes North
Backcountry Avalanche Forecast
Author: Josh Hirshberg
Issued: Friday, April 17, 2026 at 6:31 PM PDT
Expires: Saturday, April 18, 2026 at 6:30 PM PDT
The Bottom Line
The Bottom LineYou may encounter very different snow and avalanche conditions depending on elevation, location in the range, and time of day. There's enough recent snow west of the Cascade Crest that you may be able to trigger avalanches in wet snow on sunny slopes and in recent wind-drifted snow at upper elevations. The avalanche danger will be less significant to the east and at lower elevations.
Avalanche Danger
Saturday, April 18, 2026
8000-6500ft2 - Moderate
6500-5000ft2 - Moderate
5000-3000ft1 - Low
Sunday, April 19, 2026
8000-6500ft2 - Moderate
6500-5000ft2 - Moderate
5000-3000ft1 - Low
Avalanche Danger ScaleLearn moreGeneral InfoGeneral Information1 - LowLow2 - ModModerate3 - ConsConsiderable4 - HighHigh5 - ExtrExtreme
1 - Low | 2 - Moderate |  3 - Considerable |  4 - High |  5 - Extreme | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel Advice | Generally safe avalanche conditions. Watch for unstable snow on isolated terrain features. | Heightened avalanche conditions on specific terrain features. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully; identify features of concern. | Dangerous avalanche conditions. Careful snowpack evaluation, cautious route-finding and conservative decision-making essential. | Very dangerous avalanche conditions. Travel in avalanche terrain not recommended. | Extraordinarily dangerous avalanche conditions. Avoid all avalanche terrain. |
| Likelihood of Avalanches | Natural and human-triggered avalanches unlikely. | Natural avalanches unlikely; human-triggered avalanches possible. | Natural avalanches possible; human-triggered avalanches likely. | Natural avalanches likely; human-triggered avalanches very likely. | Natural and human-triggered avalanches certain. |
| Avalanche Size and Distribution | Small avalanches in isolated areas or extreme terrain. | Small avalanches in specific areas; or large avalanches in isolated areas. | Small avalanches in many areas; or large avalanches in specific areas; or very large avalanches in isolated areas. | Large avalanches in many areas; or very large avalanches in specific areas. | Very large avalanches in many areas. |
Avalanche Problems (2)
Problem #1: Wet Loose
Problem Type
Wet Loose
Aspect/Elevation
Likelihood
Size
Natural loose avalanches on the SW aspect of Whistler Peak.
Photo: WSDOT NCROn Saturday, temperatures will be significantly warmer. This will combine with the sun to further warm the recent snow around the compass. You may see more active avalanche conditions on non-southerly aspects. You could still trigger avalanches on southerly aspects once surface crusts melt. As usual, larger avalanches are possible on long fall-line slopes or in big alpine terrain. Be cautious about committing to terrain where your exit requires crossing steep, sun-exposed slopes or traveling beneath overhead hazards such as cornices.
Problem #2: Wind Slab
Problem Type
Wind Slab
Aspect/Elevation
Likelihood
Size
Fresh wind lips, a tiny slab, and textured surfaces. Use visual clues to identify wind loaded slopes.
Photo: WSDOT NCRBlustery winds formed fresh slabs on Thursday, especially in more alpine terrain. WSDOT found plenty of visual evidence of wind-transported snow and nearby slabs. Use clues like textured surfaces, drifts, and sharp cornices to highlight likely loaded slopes. While slabs often form near ridges and in the tops of chutes, you may also find them along the slides of mid-slope gullies and other exposed features. Stick to less wind-affected or lower-angle slopes to get around these fresh slabs and enjoy the nearby soft snow.
Forecast Discussion
The last avalanche forecast for the 25-26 season will be for Sunday, April 19th. Mountain weather forecasts will be published each afternoon through May 3rd. A huge thanks to everyone in our community for your support this winter!
On Friday, the sun and mild temperatures warmed recent snow enough for natural, wet avalanches on many sun-exposed slopes. On the 15th, a cold storm may have brought more than a foot of snow to areas near and west of the Cascade crest, including Rainy Pass and Harts Pass. Snow totals drop quickly as you travel east. Expect smaller avalanches and lower danger in these locations.
The new snow accumulated over the stout 4/14 crust. However, WSDOT crews found that the new snow was generally well bonded to the underlying crust. Stronger winds on Thursday likely contributed to this variability, redistributing snow across different aspects and features.
This information is provided by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service and describes general backcountry avalanche hazard and conditions.
It does not apply to ski areas and highways where avalanche mitigation is conducted.