Stevens Pass
Backcountry Avalanche Forecast
Author: Josh Hirshberg
Issued: Thursday, April 2, 2026 at 6:30 PM PDT
Expires: Friday, April 3, 2026 at 6:30 PM PDT
The Bottom Line
The Bottom LineYou can trigger avalanches on steep slopes where recent snow is warmed by the sun or where the wind has formed fresh drifts. Steer around pillows of drifted snow on slopes over 35 degrees. If you find weak, wet snow that slides easily, move to lower-angle or shadier terrain.
Avalanche Danger
Friday, April 3, 2026
7000-6000ft2 - Moderate
6000-5000ft2 - Moderate
5000-3000ft2 - Moderate
Saturday, April 4, 2026
7000-6000ft2 - Moderate
6000-5000ft2 - 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
On Friday, the skies will clear, and the sun will quickly melt the recent snow. Avalanches will be easy to trigger on underlying slick crusts. While loose avalanches will be shallow and predictable, they could pick up significant debris and could be forceful and dangerous. Use small test slopes to see how easily the snow slides before committing to bigger terrain. Use caution near terrain traps, where an avalanche could push you into rocks, trees, or gullies. Travel one at a time and stop out of the way of steep slopes where others are traveling.
Problem #2: Wind Slab
Problem Type
Wind Slab
Aspect/Elevation
Likelihood
Size
Cross-loaded, wind-textured snow and a partially filled-in crowns of avalanches (D2) that occurred around 3/20. White Pine ck, 6,900ft, N-NE
Photo: Josh HirshbergAt upper elevations, you could trigger slab avalanches in wind-drifted snow. The recent snow could slide easily on slick crusts and weak old snow surfaces. Watch for cracking and recent drifts to indicate where you can trigger avalanches. Manage the risk by steering around wind-stiffened snow below ridges, drifts, and convex roll-overs where you suspect fresh wind slabs. Better yet, stay off steep, leeward slopes altogether. Seek out wind-sheltered terrain or slopes under 35 degrees.
Forecast Discussion
Another cool, blustery storm brought 5-6" of new snow with strong westerly winds to Stevens Pass by Thursday evening. While the snow warmed enough to trigger wet avalanches on southerly slopes, full sun will more thoroughly melt the snow on Friday.
On Thursday, an NWAC forecaster near Skyline Lake found that the new snow was reasonably well bonded to old surfaces across a variety of aspects. They were able to trigger small wet avalanches on steep southeast slopes. By 12p there were minimal new wind-drifted slabs on mid-elevation leeward slopes. Slabs likely continued building throughout the day. In a similar area on Tuesday, an NWAC forecaster found a variety of conditions. On steep, northerly slopes, there was about 1 foot of soft snow over the stout, 3/25 crust. Some weak, faceted grains could be seen on and just below the surface. Many other slopes had crusts, which are now under the new snow.
The recent snow will fall on a variety of surfaces. On northerly aspects, weak, faceted layers and recent storm snow could be buried, especially above 5,000ft. The new snow will fall on slick crusts on sun-exposed, east, south, and west aspects. At middle and upper elevations, old surfaces are wind-textured and drifted. On March 25th, Stevens Pass picked up 1-1.5 ft of snow, accompanied by strong westerly winds. This snow can still be found resting on a stout crust, about 1 foot below the surface.
Prepare for low snow cover, open creeks, and icy surfaces, which create various travel hazards.
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.