Potential Control Work on Snoqualmie Mountain/Alpy

Just saw an Instagram story from Snoqualmie Summit advertising the possibility of heli-bombing in Alpental Valley tomorrow.


I just tried the WSDOT/Alpental Snoqualmie-Mountain control hotline (425-434-6793). The number does work, and the message has not been updated since December 2016.

weird, not seeing this at all on nor on their website.

Peculiar too that NWAC has avi hazard listed as considerable when WSDOT has been listing it all day as "severe avalanche hazard"... given 4 feet in 36 hours, I would tend to approach any snow travel with more of a WSDOT mind frame...

Click on the circular logo at the top left of the Summit's Instagram feed to see their temporary "Stories". The final (at the time of this writing) Story is pictured in the image above.

If NWAC believes that natural slides are only possible, rather than likely (and human triggers are only likely, rather than very-likely, in-line with the avalanche-problem ratings), Considerable seems right on. Traveling as if the avalanche hazard is "severe" seems appropriate, too.

Click on the circular logo at the top left of the Summit's Instagram feed to see their temporary "Stories". The final (at the time of this writing) Story is pictured in the image above.

If NWAC believes that natural slides are only possible, rather than likely (and human triggers are only likely, rather than very-likely, in-line with the avalanche-problem ratings), Considerable seems right on. Traveling as if the avalanche hazard is "severe" seems appropriate, too.

I clicked on the circular logo, but that requires me to log in in order to see anything at all...
Seems that if one wants to get the message out--and it should be seen; thanks for posting it here--why bury it behind additional clicks and log ins? Lots of folks are not even on instagram... and I didn't see it on the Summit's twitter either.



With years of experience and in the spirit of promoting a wider margin of error vis-a-vis approach to snow travel I'm sticking with my assessment. My last trip report here on TAY (as well as many others) was on a 'considerable' day and there's no way I would even consider the same trajectory given current conditions.
For one there's a huge difference in consequences in term of amount of potential snow that may be entrained right now--amongst other variables.
Given that the pass is closed--and remains closed--also precludes much of the direct in the field data, valuable data in terms of real time avalanche hazard assessment.

I may be off, it's just my gut reaction... hard to know when you can't go.


There is however one observation on NWAC... slab release on a 25 degree slope east of the pass on roaring ridge... that's touchy

They had summit security posted at the start of Alpental valley road to keep people away today.

Been wondering the same thing Stefan about the considerable rating. It happened in the past when NWAC was considerable and the Summit and WSDOT were treating it like extreme. The reality I take is currently danger is high in the Snoq pass area with really high consequences given the 58" new. If there is a rain on snow or even heavy snow event there could be some historic Gold Creek style avalanches and that would deserve the extreme rating for sure. Lets not wish for that. The original 10 in that fell on Fri evening was onto a crust too and didn't bond that well but wasn't sliding either when we were up Kendall on Sat. Now with 58" new that's all changed, who knows. I haven't been up since Monday and that was at Hyak so didn't dig a pit to check for obvious reasons.

I think the information we have on how well the snow is bonded to that deeply buried crust is limited. It will take a while to find out and require a cautious mindset for the near term.

Looks like they bombed Snoqualmie Mountain today. Jeff Jacka's instagram-story [1] has a few clips of the resulting slide. I asked him to archive it somewhere more permanent, as it is probably the first time a Phantom slide has been filmed -- sounds like he'll have time to do so in the future.

[1] (click the circular logo at top left)

Edit: Updated to add mgschuur's direct view of the same event: