Northwest backcountry fans avoid slopes as avalanche danger spikes

It’s a bittersweet weekend ahead for anyone trying to get outdoors or head to the mountains for the snow.

The sun will likely be shining but frigid cold temperatures will be sticking around. While the new snow is great news for Washington’s snowpack, with it comes the risk of avalanches.

“There’s plenty of good skiing in bounds I just don’t think it’s worth the risk to head out today,” Matt Smith, a skier, said.

He said he’s waiting a bit to hit the backcountry.

“Not right now it’s a little sketchy out there,” he said. The Northwest Avalanche Center is forecasting Moderate to Considerable risk for avalanches in the Cascades.

“Considerable avalanche danger means that we’re expecting avalanches in many areas and frequently those avalanches are on the large side, in some cases very large,” Robert Hahn from NWAC, said. “When we’re dealing with avalanches being likely in many areas that means that pretty much anywhere you find a slope steeper than 35 degrees there’s a fairly high risk of triggering an avalanche.

Hahn said it’s always a good idea to check the forecast before you head out to the mountains.

“I would probably avoid large, steep, and unsupported slopes this weekend,” Hahn said. “Those are the areas where you’re most likely to trigger a potentially large destructive avalanche.”

The wind in the Cascades is another big concern.

“In areas with stronger easterly winds through the mountain gaps and where the snow is actively loading from one side of a ridge to another, you’re going to want to avoid those areas where the wind transported snow is piling up,” Hahn said.

Snowboarder, Josh Ecker told KIRO 7 the risk was too high to ride out of bounds this weekend, so he’s sticking with resort snowboarding.

“They can never completely take away the risk, I think everybody knows you’re taking on a little bit of risk whether it’s an avalanche or just icy conditions or something you mess up, so the risk is always there,” Ecker said.