East Slopes South
Backcountry Avalanche Forecast
Author: Joe Dellaporta
Issued: Sunday, April 5, 2026 at 6:30 PM PDT
Expires: Monday, April 6, 2026 at 6:30 PM PDT
The Bottom Line
The Bottom LineAnother mild night with minimal refreeze will maintain the possibility of triggering small wet avalanches on steep slopes on Monday. Sticky snow surfaces and rollerballs are classic indicators that wet loose avalanches could be triggered in steep enough terrain. Be mindful of other warming-induced hazards like sagging cornices or chunks of snow that may peel off without warning. Non-avalanche hazards are abundant due to low snow.
Avalanche Danger
Monday, April 6, 2026
7500-6000ft2 - Moderate
6000-5000ft2 - Moderate
5000-3000ft0 - No Rating
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
7500-6000ft1 - Low
6000-5000ft1 - Low
5000-3000ft0 - No Rating
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
(4/3/2026)
Rollerballs on Nelson Ridge this past week.
Photo: Joe Dellaporta
Another warm day with minimal overnight refreeze will maintain wet snow instabilities as the morning warms up. There have been ample signs of warming reported, such as rollerballs and chunks of snow peeling off steep, sun-exposed slopes in recent days. Look for these warning signs to continue as freezing levels stay elevated for one more day. You may notice these signs of warming on more shaded slopes since recent days have been hot in the mountains. Look for rollerballs and pinwheels as precursors to larger wet loose avalanches. The upper snowpack has not fully transitioned from dry to wet yet, so let sticky surfaces be another indicator that triggering wet loose avalanches will be possible.
The hot weather may also weaken cornices and widen glide cracks in some areas. Limit your exposure where you find these bigger overhanging chunks of snow exist, as they often fail without warning.
Forecast Discussion
It's been an unusually mild few days in the East South. The zone hasn’t really seen a true refreeze since April 3rd, with freezing levels hovering in the 11,000 ft range since then. Clear overnight skies have likely helped provide a light surface refreeze at upper and some middle elevations, but surfaces have been thawing quickly with such warm temperatures. Monday will be the final day of high freezing levels before a brief cool down occurs on Tuesday. With that, expect an uptick in wind speeds as the day progresses.
There’s a bit of uncertainty if northerly aspects have stayed dry during this warm-up. If they have, you may still want to maintain some caution where wind slabs typically lurk due to period of moderate winds on Sunday. I suspect most of these are likely trending unreactive at this point, but we shouldn’t fully rule them out in very steep, complex terrain on the north side of the dial until proven otherwise.
Public observations have been limited due to low snow and difficult access. An NWAC Forecaster around Bumping Lake on Friday reported very patchy snow coverage and rugged travel to 5200 ft (observation here). In the neighboring West South, there have been numerous shed-style observations during the recent warm days.
Large temperature fluctuations and minimal new snow have made mountain travel challenging. Expect dry approaches, high creeks, and some glacier lilies at lower elevations and firm, slide-for-life surfaces in middle and upper elevation terrain, particularly during the morning hours. Crampons, an ice axe, and experience moving through hard snow may be necessary on steeper slopes before the sun works its magic.
Are you heading out into the mountains? 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.