West Slopes North
Backcountry Avalanche Forecast
Author: Lee Lazzara
Issued: Wednesday, April 15, 2026 at 6:30 PM PDT
Expires: Thursday, April 16, 2026 at 6:30 PM PDT
The Bottom Line
The Bottom LineA mix of new snow, warming, and maybe some wind will contribute to avalanche danger on Thursday. Wet loose avalanches are possible where the sun appears. You can still trigger slabs on steep slopes, especially on rollovers or where wind has drifted snow. Watch for warming and avoid steep, freshly wind-loaded terrain.
Avalanche Danger
Thursday, April 16, 2026
7500-5500ft2 - Moderate
5500-4500ft2 - Moderate
4500-2500ft2 - Moderate
Friday, April 17, 2026
7500-5500ft2 - Moderate
5500-4500ft2 - Moderate
4500-2500ft2 - 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
(2/15/2026)
Wet loose avalanches running on the south side of Table Mountain during a previous warming cycle.
Photo: Hilary Groh
Cloud cover on Thursday is uncertain and will likely vary across the zone, but where the sun comes out, expect wet loose avalanche activity to increase. More sun and slightly warmer temperatures will increase the likelihood of both natural and human-triggered avalanches, with larger avalanches possible on long fall-line slopes or in big alpine terrain.
Track changes in sky cover and surface conditions throughout the day. Sticky or moist new snow, rollerballs, pinwheels, and fresh loose avalanches are clear signs that the snow is becoming unstable. If you see any of the previously listed signs of instability, scale back your exposure to steep sun-exposed terrain and avoid spending time below slopes that are heating up.
Problem #2: Storm Slab
Problem Type
Storm Slab
Aspect/Elevation
Likelihood
Size
(4/15/2026)
A rider triggered slab on a steep northerly aspect in the Baker Backcountry at 4900 feet. Nearby tracks in similar terrain show you had to find just the right spot to trigger a slab. This was also triggered near midday as temperatures warmed.
(SS-D1.5-AR-S)
Photo: Gregg Oliveri
Slab avalanche activity was limited on Wednesday, but there was enough reactivity to keep them on the menu for another day. You are most likely to trigger a slab on slopes steeper than 40 degrees, especially on unsupported features like convex rolls, above cliffs, or on gully walls.
Use simple tests like hand shears, skin track checks, and small slope cuts to assess how well the new snow is bonding. A stronger, denser layer over softer, colder snow below is the structure that can produce slab avalanches. Warming temperatures and periods of sun could increase reactivity.
Winds should remain mostly light, but stronger winds are possible in the high alpine and farther east toward North Cascades National Park. If you encounter active wind loading, expect larger and more sensitive slabs and treat avalanche danger as a step higher. Scale back your plan accordingly.
Forecast Discussion
The 1–2 feet of new snow from the latest storm settled fairly quickly by Wednesday morning, with human-triggered avalanches limited to steep, unsupported slopes steeper than 40 degrees. A few larger, natural avalanches up to D2 were observed in the Baker Backcountry, but these likely released during the storm. In most areas, the new snow was right side up and bonded well to the underlying crust or moist snow layer buried with the onset of snowfall on April 13.
Sun breaks were limited, but there was still enough warming to affect the snow surface on southerly aspects. Rollerballs and small wet loose avalanches were reported in this terrain. Previous wind transport was observed near ridgelines, with stiffer wind-drifted snow hidden beneath softer snow, but the overall pattern of wind loading was subtle and less obvious than normal.
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.