Lawinenlagebericht

Galena Summit & Eastern Mtns

Sawtooth Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Wed
Hochgebirge
3 · Erheblich
Waldgrenze
3 · Erheblich
Unterhalb
2 · Mässig
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Veraltet — dieser Lagebericht ist 6 years ago abgelaufen. Du siehst vergangene Verhältnisse, nicht den aktuellen Bericht.

Kernpunkte

Dangerous avalanche conditions exist. New snow and strong winds have created thick slabs that will be sensitive to your weight today. Human-triggered avalanches are likely. This additional load is also adding stress to weak layers buried 2-3 feet deep in the snowpack. Avalanches on these weak layers are most likely in terrain exposed to the wind but are possible in sheltered terrain as well.

COVID-19: The medical system cannot spare the resources required to care for injured backcountry skiers and snowmobilers. Search and Rescue will be delayed or unavailable. Please recreate responsibly close to home and follow social distance requirements to protect yourself and others.  

Lawinenprobleme

  • Wind Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Very Likely
    Größe
    1–2

    Heavy snowfall and strong winds built slabs overnight. Expect to find wind drifts 2-3 feet thick in terrain exposed to the wind. These slabs will be easy to trigger today and will create avalanches large enough to bury a person. Additional snowfall and wind this morning and into the afternoon will help these slabs continue to grow in size and distribution. On slopes that directly face the sun, slabs are resting on stiff, icy crusts. Any slide you trigger in these areas will pick up speed quickly as it travels downslope. 

    You're most likely to find a reactive slab in upper elevation terrain where more snow falls and winds are most intense. Be on the lookout for these slabs near features that slow the wind down and force it to drop the load it is carrying. Use snow surface textures (like ripples and dune-like drifts) to help you identify these areas from a distance. If you are traveling through a wind slab, expect the snow to be a bit thicker and denser than snow that is unaffected by the wind. Cracks shooting out from your skis, board, or machine are a great sign that you've found a sensitive wind slab.

     

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Likely
    Größe
    2–3

    Weak layers of snow buried in the upper 2-3 feet of the snowpack produced two human-triggered avalanches this weekend (photo, photo). Both of these avalanches failed before the heavy load that was added last night. The culprit weak layers have been sugary facets that developed earlier this month during clear weather between storms. These layers exist across our advisory areas. The ongoing storm added a significant amount of weight to these layers last night, further destabilizing the snowpack. You'll be most likely to encounter this problem on slopes that face E-NE-N-NW.

    Triggering one of these slides is more likely in wind-loaded terrain, but is possible in sheltered terrain as well. Persistent slab avalanches fail in ways that catch even experienced backcountry travelers by surprise. They may break much wider than you expect, wrapping around terrain features that typically confine wind and storm slabs. These types of slides can be triggered remotely—from flatter terrain above, below, and to the sides of avalanche starting zones. Building a wide safety margin into your travel plans is essential. 

Avalanche Discussion

Today is the first day in two and half months that we have HIGH danger in our forecast area. The best way to overload a snowpack is to throw a rapid load of snow at it. Intense precipitation rates accomplish this well, as do strong winds. Right now we've got both of those things going on. The ongoing pandemic reminds us that the world can shift underneath your feet. The storm in progress should remind you of the same. Its been a weird winter to say the least, one marked by an overall lack of snowfall and long periods of relatively stable conditions. Today is different. If you choose to go into the backcountry, be prepared to deal with the full spectrum of mid-winter avalanche hazards. Dial back your ambitions and build a wide safety into the way you travel in the mountains. And remember that now, more than ever, your actions have consequences that affect the community around you.

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