East Slopes South
Backcountry Avalanche Forecast
Author: Joe Dellaporta
Issued: Monday, April 13, 2026 at 6:30 PM PDT
Expires: Tuesday, April 14, 2026 at 6:30 PM PDT
The Bottom Line
The Bottom LineAn approaching spring storm may bring an uptick in avalanche danger in upper elevation, wind-loaded terrain on Tuesday. Expect wind-drifted pockets to become increasingly more sensitive to a human or machine's weight as snowfall starts to trickle into the mountains. Be ready for a high price of admission to find continuous snow in this zone.
Avalanche Danger
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
7500-6000ft2 - Moderate
6000-5000ft1 - Low
5000-3000ft0 - No Rating
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
7500-6000ft2 - Moderate
6000-5000ft2 - Moderate
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: Wind Slab
Problem Type
Wind Slab
Aspect/Elevation
Likelihood
Size
Visual clues of recent wind loading and 'fat' pillow-like slabs.
Photo: Dallas GlassIncreasing snowfall and strong SW winds will build a fresh batch of shallow wind slabs throughout the day, which will continue to grow through the evening hours. These slabs will likely be more isolated, but they could trigger easily off windy ridgelines when they’re freshly formed. Look for blowing snow, wind-textured pillows, and sharp cornices and drifts to help you identify where wind slabs are building.
Tuesday will be a good day to closely track new snow accumulations and the extent of wind loading as you move into the wind zone. Choose simpler terrain if you notice active heavy drifting or shooting cracks under your skis or feet.
Forecast Discussion
The avalanche danger will start low and progress to moderate in windy alpine terrain, where a couple of inches of new snow will combine with strong winds to create sensitive slabs by late day. Look for a sharper rise in hazard during the evening hours as snowfall and winds increase.
Observations have been sparse in this zone, and for good reason. Based on recent observations from the nearby West South and East Central, we suspect new snow will bond well to the old wet snow surfaces that exist across the range. Moving forward, we'll be mostly concerned about avalanches failing within the new snow or at the old snow surface. The lower and mid snowpack is generally strong, wet, and isothermal-like thanks to recent temperature fluctuations.
Unfortunately, new snowfall won’t do much to improve coverage, since much of the zone is bare ground below 5000 ft. Continue to expect widespread low snow coverage and a plethora of travel hazards.
The prolonged warm spell in March decimated the already struggling East South snowpack. Below 5,000 ft, snow coverage is too limited for avalanche danger at this time—so we’re issuing a No Rating for lower elevations. You can still find rideable snow at middle and upper elevations.
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.