Stevens Pass
Backcountry Avalanche Forecast
Author: Josh Hirshberg
Issued: Friday, April 17, 2026 at 6:30 PM PDT
Expires: Saturday, April 18, 2026 at 6:30 PM PDT
The Bottom Line
The Bottom LineSun and even warmer temperatures will keep wet avalanches a concern through the weekend. Avoid travel on or directly under slopes where you see rolling balls of snow, recent wet avalanches, or where the snow is mushy and wet. Look out for pockets of wind-drifted on steep slopes near upper elevation ridges.
Avalanche Danger
Saturday, April 18, 2026
7000-6000ft2 - Moderate
6000-5000ft2 - Moderate
5000-3000ft2 - Moderate
Sunday, April 19, 2026
7000-6000ft2 - Moderate
6000-5000ft2 - Moderate
5000-3000ft2 - Moderate
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
(4/16/2026)
Rollerballs are often a precursor to natural wet loose avalanches.
Photo: Dallas Glass
More sun and even warmer temperatures will bring wet avalanches to most aspects and elevations. You may see more active avalanche conditions on non-southerly aspects, which are just warming up on Saturday. 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
(4/15/2026)
Looking down the path of a human-triggered wind slab avalanche in East Central.
SS-ASc-R3-D1.5-S
Photo: Payton Schiff
We expect some wind slabs on leeward slopes on upper-elevation ridges. Look for signs of previous wind transport, such as fresh cornices, scoured snow, and changes in surface texture or stiffness. Even though it's mid-April, remember to manage leeward, upper-elevation slopes like winter snowpack.
We don't have direct observations from upper elevations in the Stevens Pass zone, but westerly winds were strong enough to transport snow through Thursday. The Tye Mill station showed gusts to 30mph. In the neighboring East Central Zone, NWAC forecasters triggered avalanches on the 15th and reported blowing snow through the 16th.
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!
Temperatures on Saturday could be another 10°F warmer, climbing to 50°F in the mountains. 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 up to 20 inches of new snow to upper elevations.
On the 15th, an NWAC forecaster found that the new snow was well bonded to a crust (4/14) or to wet snow from the recent warm-up. Despite the ongoing storm and thick clouds, the new snow was already becoming moist on southerly slopes. The snow settled quickly, and slab avalanche activity appeared limited, with only isolated reports of small slabs on very steep terrain. A natural l-cycle of loose dry avalanches likely occurred during and just after the storm.
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.