Lawinenlagebericht

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Sawtooth Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Sat
Hochgebirge
2 · Mässig
Waldgrenze
2 · Mässig
Unterhalb
1 · Gering
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Veraltet — dieser Lagebericht ist 5 months ago abgelaufen. Du siehst vergangene Verhältnisse, nicht den aktuellen Bericht.

Kernpunkte

You may be able to trigger a slab avalanche in windier upper elevations and on shadier slopes that face away from the afternoon sun. 

Lawinenprobleme

  • Wind Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    1–1.5

    Recent snow and strong SW-W winds are likely to have built thin drifts and slabs at upper elevations. Look for this problem near and just below exposed ridgelines and along cross-loaded mid-slope gullies. Recent cornice growth, pillows, and dunes are all clues that wind was at work moving snow.  Cracking and collapsing are sure indications that you've found a sensitive slab. You can reduce your odds of triggering a wind slab by sticking to more wind-sheltered slopes with soft powder at the surface.

     

    (2/25/2026) A pair of large natural avalanches near Copper Mountain. Clear evidence of wind loading and cornice growth is obvious in this photo as well.

    Photo: Sawtooth Avalanche Center

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Unlikely
    Größe
    2

    Although unlikely, you could trigger a 2-3 ft thick persistent slab avalanche on buried weak layers (sugary facets, surface hoar, and crust + facet combinations). This problem is worst on middle and upper elevation slopes facing NW-N-NE-E. 

    While the odds are low, the consequences of triggering one of these dense, thick slabs are severe. Don't expect obvious signs of instability. In low probability/high consequence situations like this, there's a good chance the first sign of instability you'll see is the avalanche you trigger. Tracks on a slope don't mean it's safe. Avalanches can be triggered by the second, third, or fourth rider on a slope. 

    Persistent slabs can fail unpredictably and break wider and higher on slopes than you might expect. Avoiding avalanche terrain is the only surefire way to manage this problem. Short of that, you can reduce your risk by avoiding large avalanche paths and those with ugly consequences if you are caught in a slide.

    (3/6/2026) Small natural avalanche on Copper Mountain that pulled out mid-slope.

    Photo: Sawtooth Avalanche Center

Avalanche Discussion

Today will be a lull in what's been a so-far underperforming storm. Any lingering snowfall should diminish this morning, bringing snow totals to 7-9" since Wednesday night. Snow was accompanied by moderate to strong winds, which likely formed thin wind slabs in upper elevation terrain. Notably, both the smaller wind slab and the larger, but less likely, persistent slab problems are most likely on shadier slopes that face away from the afternoon sun.

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