Mt Hood
Backcountry Avalanche Forecast
Author: Joe Dellaporta
Issued: Monday, April 6, 2026 at 6:30 PM PDT
Expires: Tuesday, April 7, 2026 at 6:30 PM PDT
The Bottom Line
The Bottom LineThe danger has dropped, but that doesn’t mean it's impossible to trigger small wet avalanches on steep, sun-exposed slopes as the day warms up. Move to a shadier slope or lower-angle terrain if you’re punching past your boot-tops in wet, heavy snow. Very strong alpine winds may limit sun softening on some slopes and set the stage for icy travel and long, sliding fall concerns in steep terrain.
Avalanche Danger
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
8500-6500ft1 - Low
6500-5500ft1 - Low
5500-3500ft1 - Low
Wednesday, April 8, 2026
8500-6500ft1 - Low
6500-5500ft1 - Low
5500-3500ft1 - 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 (1)
Problem #1: Wet Loose
Problem Type
Wet Loose
Aspect/Elevation
Likelihood
Size
(4/4/2026)
An example of a skier-triggered wet loose avalanche from this past week near Timberline Lodge.
Photo: Joe Dellaporta
Freezing levels are dropping, but they’ll remain high enough to keep wet snow instabilities on the radar where a solid refreeze doesn’t occur. Strong winds and mostly clear skies on Monday night should help most upper elevations refreeze more effectively than in recent days. Middle elevations and steep sun-exposed slopes, however, may see a weaker reset. These areas are the most likely places to find lingering wet loose instability on Tuesday. The snowpack hasn’t fully transitioned to a spring regime yet, so isolated wet avalanches or small human-triggered wet loose slides remain possible on steep slopes until the surface locks up.
As the day warms, monitor surface conditions and boot penetration. If you’re sinking past boot top in wet, heavy snow or encountering sticky surfaces, move to shadier aspects. Start early and plan to exit before conditions become sloppy.
Prolonged warming has also weakened cornices and widened glide cracks. Limit exposure beneath overhanging snow features, as they can fail without warning.
Forecast Discussion
Monday was a very warm day in the Mt. Hood zone, with upper-elevation temperatures reaching well into the 40s and low 50s. Since April 3rd, freezing levels have been flirting with the summit of Mt. Hood over 11,000 ft. The first warm days came as a shock to the upper snowpack, with easily triggered wet loose and even a couple of naturals reported. As high freezing levels persisted, natural wet loose mainly ran their course, while human-triggered wet loose could still be pushed in very steep terrain. On Monday, the Mt. Hood Climbing Rangers reported deeper water percolation and more stubborn wet loose than on previous days. They also found a supportable crust capping dry snow at higher elevations that broke down with daytime warming. You can check out their full observation here.
Unfortunately, Tuesday has trended warmer with higher freezing levels in the 9000 ft range, so we may not see the refreeze we were all hoping for, at least below the windy elevations. The forecast staff suspects we’re far enough along in the warming that, with some cooling and strong winds, it should help limit human-triggered wet, loose avalanches. However, it may not be impossible to push small loose on very steep terrain during the heat of the day.
It's that time of year when you should keep other mountain hazards on your radar. Expect mornings to be firm with long, sliding falls being your primary concern. Pack the appropriate traction and self-arrest tools for your objective. Also, consider rock or icefall as the day heats up. The Mt. Hood Climbing Ranger page is a great resource for upper mountain planning.
Are you heading out? Let us know what you see by submitting an observation here or on the AvyApp.
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.