Lawinenlagebericht

Silver Valley & Bitterroot Mountains

Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Wed
Hochgebirge
1 · Gering
Waldgrenze
1 · Gering
Unterhalb
1 · Gering
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Veraltet — dieser Lagebericht ist 3 years ago abgelaufen. Du siehst vergangene Verhältnisse, nicht den aktuellen Bericht.

Kernpunkte

With slightly lower temperatures today, the avalanche danger will decrease. However, low avalanche danger does not mean no avalanche danger. Seeing rollerballs, pinwheels, and tree bombs are all signs that the sun is warming up the upper snowpack and the snow is losing cohesion, which could then result in small loose wet avalanches. To avoid this problem, seek shaded lower angle terrain in the afternoon, or stick to less sun exposed slopes on the north side of the compass.

Lawinenprobleme

  • Loose Wet

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    1

    As we enter into spring, we are starting to see the diurnal freeze/thaw cycle take over. This means below freezing temperatures at night will lock up the snowpack, while sunny and warm days will soften the upper portion of the snowpack, causing the snow to lose cohesion. When the sun and solar radiation has had time to affect the snow, you'll see snow bombs falling out of trees, roller balls and pinwheels making their way down steep slopes, and snow starting to stick to your skis. If you have seen these signs of rapid warming, it's a good idea to seek lower angle terrain sheltered by timber, and avoid steep slopes directly in the sun. Once the snow begins to lose cohesion, it doesn't take long for loose wet avalanches to become a problem. Though these avalanches are likely to be small and generally easy to manage, they could be enough to knock you off your feet and sweep you into more consequential terrain. Loose wet avalanches or "point release" avalanches tend to increase in size as they fan out and pick up more snow along the way. Be on the lookout for signs of rapid warming and choose terrain accordingly. 

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Unlikely
    Größe
    1.5–2.5

    Overall, the snowpack is trending in the right direction, but several crust layers and small buried surface hoar layers still exist. These problem layers seem to be gaining stability and have showed little to no propagation propensity recently. However, the persistent slab problem is still sitting at that "unlikely to trigger, but if triggered could go bigger" point. Before stepping out and commiting to steep and consequential terrain, it's worth taking a minute to dig in the snow and test the stability of the slope. 

Avalanche Discussion

Happy Spring Equinox! As we welcome the official beginning of spring, we can look forward to longer days, overall warming temps and goggle tans. However, we are also greeted with the inevitable variable conditions that come with spring skiing. Below freezing temperatures at night will make for crusty and firm conditions during the morning. As the sun beats down throughout the day and temperatures go up, the surface snow will soften and the likelihood of a loose wet avalanche will increase. Loose wet avalanche problems are generally easy to manage as long as you're paying attention to signs of rapid warming and picking terrain accordingly. Once you notice the surface snow begin to lose cohesion, it's time to avoid steep terrain exposed to direct sun. North facing slopes shaded by timber at higher elevations could still be hanging on to softer and lighter snow. 

With the shift of the seasons, it's important to still be aware of avalanche hazards and not totally check out yet. Our snowpack still has a few persistent weak layers that are worth noting, even if they haven't been consistently showing propagation. Crusts and various buried surface hoar layers can be found, and are worth digging down and trying to identify before sending it in to steep and committing terrain. Getting an early morning start on the day will also help avoid the loose wet problem. 

Enjoy the sun and the different conditions that come with spring. Stay tuned, our last forecast for the season will go out April 1st. 

 

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