Lawinenlagebericht

Selkirk Mountains

Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Tue
Hochgebirge
1 · Gering
Waldgrenze
1 · Gering
Unterhalb
1 · Gering
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Kernpunkte

Avalanche conditions are generally safe. Continue to assess steeper freshly wind-drifted slopes before committing where a small reactive slab may be lurking near ridgelines, on rollovers, and in gullies. Even a small slide in more complex terrain or couloirs can carry big consequences.

Lawinenprobleme

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Isolated wind affected terrain may harbor a stiff over soft combination where you might trigger a small avalanche. Fresh slabs sit above different flavors of older snow surfaces like a sun crust, wind-stiffened snow, or soft cohesionless snow. Depending on what's directly below, you may experience varying sensitivity in wind-drifted slabs.

    Pay attention to the direction the slopes faces as you will likely find deeper drifting on more easterly-facing slopes and cross-loaded features. If you notice the snow surface quickly become stiffer below cornices or on the backside of convex rolls, go around those places to avoid an unexpected avalanche encounter.

    (1/6/2025)

    Lens-shaped or pillowy looking areas below ridgelines and cross-loaded features likely harbor deeper drifts that may remain reactive to the weight of a rider or machine. Selkirk Mountains. January 6, 2024.

    Photo: Chris Bilbrey

Avalanche Discussion

Avalanche conditions continue the ease with each passing day. Now is a good time for exploring terrain or as folks from North Idaho say…giver er the onion.

The last storm came and went with more blow than snow. While all mountain areas received snowfall, slightly higher amounts fell in the Bitterroot Mountains. Additionally, the wind did a good job touching a lot of open slopes throughout our forecast zones. This left a mixed bag of wind-pressed surfaces in exposed areas and either soft or hard slabs on the lee sides of terrain. Farther away from the main loading period, fresh slabs often lose their bite but still need to be managed for in more challenging or “no-fall” terrain. Broad, steep open areas likely warrant a second snowpack opinion before diving in.

Below these shallow wind-drifted slabs, the upper snowpack has several discernable interfaces – a thin rime crust, sun crust, or a mishmash of differing hardness layers from individual storm moments. None of these interfaces has readily produced concerning results in snowpack tests recently, and the potential size of an avalanche you trigger likely hinges on how thick the drifted slab is. While deeper drifts could produce a slide that may be harder to escape, we do not expect slides to break deeper because the mid and lower snowpack is generally strong and well-bonded.

Recently, field observations above 7,000 feet are limited compared to lower in elevation. Be aware that traveling higher in elevation could push you into terrain where similar shallow interfaces as lower elevations may be weaker. The subtle change in snowpack conditions may make these fresh slabs more prone to fail from the added weight of a rider or machine. Avoid steep, rocky areas with abundant trigger spots, and choose slopes free of vegetated runouts or terrain traps to minimize your risk around the "what-if" scenario.

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**On January 6, a very-large (D3) glide avalanche released in St Regis Basin in the Bitterroot Mountains. Additionally, the forecast staff has observed several other glide cracks in the Silver Valley and areas north that warrant attention. Avoid traveling on or below slopes where a glide crack has opened up. These types of avalanches are difficult to forecast when they will release.**

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