Olympics
Backcountry Avalanche Forecast
Author: Robert Hahn
Issued: Thursday, March 5, 2026 at 6:00 PM PST
Expires: Friday, March 6, 2026 at 6:00 PM PST
The Bottom Line
The Bottom LineGenerally small slabs have formed on a variety of aspects and you can still trigger one. Note the difference between scoured areas and the pockety deposits on the opposite sides of ridgelines where you could trigger one. Warming temperatures and rainfall increase the risk for generally small, entraining wet avalanches.
Avalanche Danger
Friday, March 6, 2026
6500-5500ft2 - Moderate
5500-4500ft2 - Moderate
4500-3000ft1 - Low
Saturday, March 7, 2026
6500-5500ft2 - Moderate
5500-4500ft2 - Moderate
4500-3000ft1 - 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: Wind Slab
Problem Type
Wind Slab
Aspect/Elevation
Likelihood
Size
Lots of recent wind evidence and a wind skin on most slopes. Klahanie Bowl.
Photo: ONP RangersWinds have variably affected the Hurricane Ridge area. You might find some slopes scoured down to a firm or icy March 4th crust or sastrugi; meanwhile recent N winds and older SW winds have created a patchwork of shallow slabs out of the 4-6" of snow that accumulated above 5000 ft on Wednesday. Wind slab danger starts building above 5000 ft and increases as you ascend in the terrain. Steer around steep slopes below fresh, sharp cornices or where you find wind textured, scalloped snow. Below Wednesday's rain/snow line, you don't have a slab concern.
Problem #2: Wet Loose
Problem Type
Wet Loose
Aspect/Elevation
Likelihood
Size
Example: Small rollerballs and blobs of snow that shed from trees during the sunshine.
Photo: ONP Rangers
Wet loose activity will start at lower elevations in the morning hours, expanding into middle elevation terrain in the afternoon as temperatures rise and snow changes to rain. Recent cold, dry, and less wind-affected snow will be more sensitive to this transition than previously wind-exposed areas. Note the change to warmer, damper conditions or active rainfall, and any rollerballs that indicate a transition of the snow surface. If you encounter this transition, reduce your exposure to slopes steeper than 35 degrees, especially those above you.
Forecast Discussion
Hurricane Ridge started Thursday cold, but temperatures warmed throughout the day and rose to just above freezing. The upper snowpack consists of 4-6" of cold snow with a surficial wind skin in eposed terrain. Below that is a frozen 1-2" crust on W-N-E aspects which has broken down with warming on S aspects. This was buried 3/4. Below that you'll likely find dense older snow. We have been continuing to monitor facets and surface hoar above the 2/13 crust about 2 ft below the snow surface. ONP Rangers in the Klahanie Bowl area found the facets to be rounding, but did not find the surface hoar in either of two snow pit locations. The rounding facets just above the 2/13 crust had enough of a cohesive slab above to produce minimal reactivity in PST tests, showing improvement relative to last week. The 3/4 crust bridges these weaknesses at present in the Hurricane Ridge areas, but you may not find that to be the case in other portions of the range. We also suspect that the 3/4 crust may break down on other aspects as temperatures continue to warm through Saturday.
While we don't expect this to occur on Friday, be aware that an accelerated warm-up relative to the current forecast could bring this problem back to life. Persistent slabs are notorious for surprising backcountry travelers; they break more widely across the slope and can be triggered from lower-angle terrain than run-of-the-mill storm slab avalanches. Several natural avalanche crowns from from late February were visible in the Hurricane Ridge area and also the Bailey Range and likely resulted from the previously weak snowpack structure.
Lower elevations have melted out once again in the Hurricane Ridge area. Even at middle elevations, many aspects remain thin, presenting travel obstacles. Travel cautiously in these areas to avoid injury.
This is an unusual snowpack setup for the Olympics and we need your observations! Share what you see with us, we love photos and clear descriptions. Read the neighboring Cascade zones to see how persistent slabs and an extended period of strong winds are leading to dangerous conditions in many areas.
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.