Soldier & Wood River Valley Mtns

Most of this zone lacks enough snow to make avalanches. If you're searching out snowier terrain in the Soldiers and the South Fk of the Boise River drainage, refer to the Galena Summit and Eastern Mtns forecast. In areas with enough snow to keep you off of the ground, you may be able to trigger 1-2 foot thick slab avalanches failing near the bottom of the snowpack.

We will begin issuing Daily Avalanche Forecasts with danger ratings for this zone when snow cover increases. 

Snow coverage is still quite thin in this zone. Slopes at lower elevations are mostly dirt. At middle and upper elevations, weather stations show a not-very-impressive 12 inches or less "snowpack": not deep enough to cover the sagebrush. Portions of the western portion of this zone (Soldiers and South Fk of the Boise) have received more snow, but you'll have to deal with some scrappy coverage to get out of the valleys. If you choose to do so, pay attention as you climb into a snowier, more hazardous environment. You'll go from dodging stumps and logs to having to manage the possibility of triggering a large persistent slab avalanche (while dodging stumps and logs). 

Where you are finding enough snow for skiing and riding, you are almost certainly finding a slope with older, weak snow at the base of the snowpack. Think about the consequences of being caught in a slide before skiing, riding, or crossing any steep slopes. Being carried through exposed rocks, logs, stumps, and trees rarely ends well.

Have you been out playing in this zone? Submit an Observation, email us ([email protected]), or text us (208-481-5921), we'd love to hear from you.