West Slopes Central
Backcountry Avalanche Forecast
Author: Irene Henninger
Issued: Monday, March 30, 2026 at 6:30 PM PDT
Expires: Tuesday, March 31, 2026 at 6:30 PM PDT
The Bottom Line
The Bottom LineA few inches of new snow can be found at higher elevations, but consequential avalanche are not expected. Although unlikely, any avalanches will be small—loose snow or shallow wind-drifted features. Your primary concern is managing terrain, where even a small slide in high-consequence areas could knock you off your feet and carry you over cliffs, or into rocks or trees. Expect crusts beneath the new snow, with softening at lower elevations.
Avalanche Danger
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
7500-5500ft1 - Low
5500-4500ft1 - Low
4500-2500ft1 - Low
Wednesday, April 1, 2026
7500-5500ft2 - Moderate
5500-4500ft2 - Moderate
4500-2500ft1 - 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. |
Forecast Discussion
A storm deposited 3-6 inches of snow across the zone, with snowlines dropping to about 2000ft on Sunday night. We suspect that during and just after the storm, you could have triggered a small avalanche, likely a loose, dry "sluff" or a wind slab at higher elevations where wind effects were stronger. With another day for conditions to settle out, chances of triggering an avalanche are decreasing.
If you do trigger an avalanche, it will be small and rather inconsequential. Your biggest concern is losing your footing if you trigger a slide, and you don't want this to happen in extreme terrain, where consequences are amplified. Have a plan for what to do if snow starts sliding around you if you're in a steep area with rocks, trees, or a cliff beneath you.
Beneath the new snow, a crust exists on most surfaces. Any snow that does slide will probably release on the crust beneath the new layer. In plenty of areas, you can probably break through the crust, but the snow gets firmer, and there are even more crusts beneath that. And, given the springlike theme, yet another thin crust likely formed over the new snow on steep, sunny slopes Monday.
It'll be mostly cloudy on Tuesday, and temperatures will be a little warmer than Monday, with freezing levels rising to about 5000ft. There will probably be softening at lower elevations, but hard surfaces higher up will likely stay firm. Shrinking snowlines and telltale signs of a thin snowpack, like open creek and holes up through mid elevations exist in much of the zone.
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.