Lawinenlagebericht

Banner Summit

Sawtooth Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Tue
Hochgebirge
2 · Mässig
Waldgrenze
1 · Gering
Unterhalb
1 · Gering
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Veraltet — dieser Lagebericht ist 2 years ago abgelaufen. Du siehst vergangene Verhältnisse, nicht den aktuellen Bericht.

Kernpunkte

You probably need a little bad luck to trigger a large avalanche. You can avoid wind-affected, rocky slopes to reduce your chances of finding trouble.

Lawinenprobleme

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    You're mostly likely to trigger a dense, 2-5 foot thick slab avalanche on slopes facing the northern half of the compass, where the wind frequently blows, and the snowpack depth is variable. Although large avalanches are unlikely, eliminating the chance of triggering a big slide is tricky. Some visual clues to identify suspect slopes:

    • Cornices, wind-pillows, and textured surfaces indicate the wind has been at work.  
    • If you see rocks sticking out of the snow, expect variable snowpack depths. Avalanches are easier to trigger in thin spots at the edges of slabs, near ridgelines, and along rocky, mid-slope ribs.

    Remotely triggering an avalanche from flat terrain near steep slopes remains a possibility. If you do trigger an avalanche, you probably won't observe obvious signs of instability like snowpack collapsing or cracking beforehand. You can read the Forecast Discussion below for some tips on managing lingering Persistent Slab avalanche problems. 

    Additional discussion: Strong winds in recent days formed fresh, thin wind slabs, mostly in upper elevation terrain and predominantly on the southern half of the compass.  Watch for obviously wind-loaded features near ridgelines and on the sides of cross-loaded gullies. Shooting cracks are a clear sign you've found wind-transported snow. On very steep, sun-drenched, southerly slopes protected from the wind, small loose snow avalanches are possible and could release on their own. Pay attention to the terrain above you. 

Avalanche Discussion

Reports of avalanche activity, collapsing, and cracking continue to decrease.

A local guide and educator shared a great experience from Sunday while teaching a Level 1 avalanche class near Galena Summit. "Students did a great job managing terrain with the persistent problem. Despite observing previous tracks on a steeper entrance (>35° slope) off the ridge, they opted against it due to exposed rocks and the potential for shallow trigger points. Instead, they selected a more uniform, planar entrance with a short section of terrain in the low 30° range." The students were quick studies! Some key things they did:

  • They noted that previous tracks do not eliminate the chance of triggering an avalanche. The next rider or skier could find a thin spot on the slope where the chance of triggering a slide increases. 
  • They recognized the exposed rocks, a visual clue that thin spots exist.
  • They avoided traveling in "prime time" avalanche terrain steeper than about 35 degrees. Triggering a large avalanche is most likely where some part of the slope is at least 35 degrees. 

If you choose to play in avalanche terrain, you can stack the odds in your favor by thinking about the consequences of triggering a slide. Huge avalanche paths and those with mid-slope rock bands or terrain traps (trees, creeks, and gullies at the bottom) come with much higher consequences if you're caught. 

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