Lawinenlagebericht

Galena Summit & Eastern Mtns

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 last year abgelaufen. Du siehst vergangene Verhältnisse, nicht den aktuellen Bericht.

Kernpunkte

Triggering a large slab avalanche is unlikely. Avoiding steep slopes on the northern two thirds of the compass is the best way to avoid triggering an avalanche, especially in the southern part of the zone where the snowpack is thinner. Cornices are large and may be unstable given the recent warm temperatures—give them a wide berth.

Lawinenprobleme

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Unlikely
    Größe
    2–2.5

    Slabs exist above widespread, weak layers (facets, surface hoar, crusts, and combinations). Persistent Slab avalanches are most likely in the thinner snowpacks of the Pioneer and Boulder Mtns in the southeastern part of this zone. Before triggering an avalanche, you're unlikely to experience obvious signs of instability like snowpack cracking and collapsing (or whumpfing). Persistent Slabs can release in surprising ways and break much wider than expected. You are most likely to trigger one of these avalanches where:

    • The snowpack is relatively shallow - spots may exist where the wind frequently blows, and the slab is not uniformly thick
    • Any part of the slope you are on or connected to is steeper than about 35 degrees
    • The slope faces the northern 2/3 of the compass
    • A smaller wind slab or loose snow avalanche overloads the buried weak layers

     

    (2/26/2025) Large slab avalanche on Boulder Peak, Boulder Mountains. SE @ 10,000'. Photo: Sawtooth Avalanche Center

Avalanche Discussion

We're four days into warm temperatures and have seen the majority of the unconsolidated surface snow, that was capable of moving, avalanche naturally. Today's lower temperatures, increased consistent wind speeds and increased cloud cover is expected to keep the snow surface cooler. If the cloud cover and temperatures work together without wind to create a "greenhousing" effect - where it suddenly feels like you're in a grey colored oven - you may be able to trigger small wet loose avalanches as the snow surface moistens again, particularly on steep slopes.

Be wary of traveling near or under sagging cornices. Warm temperatures may have weakened these overhanging cornices roots, and they may be prone to failure.

Triggering a large persistent slab avalanche is unlikely. If you were to find trouble, it would be in the shallower, wind-swept southern portion of this zone where the snowpack is thinner (less than about 4 feet). While this southern portion of the zone harbors the shallowest and likely highest chance of triggering a large slab avalanche, don't rule out the possibility of finding trouble elsewhere. We have observed a couple of very large slab avalanches in the Boulder Moutains that likely happened following a strong wind event on Monday night. 

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