Soldier & Wood River Valley Mtns

Triggering avalanches is possible in the snowiest parts of this zone. Conditions are generally stable over the bulk of this zone. 

Tonight, heavy snowfall and wind will cause the danger to spike. Have a safe exit strategy in case the storm arrives earlier than expected. 

Refer to the Galena Summit & Eastern Mtns forecast if you're traveling in the Soldier Mtns, Dollarhide Summit area, in the Warm Springs drainage, or near the northern border of this zone. We will begin issuing daily Avalanche Forecasts with Danger Ratings when snow cover allows for reasonable backcountry recreational access.

A snowpack exists on many slopes above about 6500' near the Coyote and Tornak huts; in the Warm Springs Ck drainage, including out of bounds on Bald Mountain; in the mountains north of Ketchum; and in the Soldier Mountains. If you are traveling in these areas, refer to the Galena Summit & Eastern Mtns forecast.

At lower elevations and on most southerly-facing slopes, it does not look or feel like winter in this zone. Access and travel remain challenging in many standard recreational play areas due to thin or non-existent snow cover. Plan for a real adventure if you choose to explore the mountains in most of this zone.

Some specific things to consider when planning your day in the mountains:

• Wind Slabs: Be on the lookout for wind drifts and slabs in exposed terrain where more than about 6" of snow fell last week. The slabs buried a variety of snow surfaces: sugary facets, thick and thin crusts, crust + facet combos, feathery surface hoar, and hard wind-hammered snow. The old snow surfaces, and the chance of triggering a slide, can change dramatically as you move up or down in elevation, to sunnier or shadier aspects. On the same slope, you may find weak facets, hard wind surfaces, and crusts under the new snow. Conditions are tricky, and wind slabs are easiest to trigger on slopes facing NW-N-NE-E; in these areas, you're likely to find dry, weak faceted snow directly below the wind slabs. 
• Loose snow avalanches: On some shady, wind-protected slopes facing NW-N-NE-E, the upper snowpack contains up to a foot of unconsolidated, sugary facets. You could trigger small slides that entrain additional snow and become more powerful as they move downhill. Sluffs are most likely on slopes approaching or over 40* in steepness. While these avalanches are generally small, they can push you into cliffs, trees, or other hazards. Managing this problem is often as simple as moving to the side or slowing down and allowing the sluff or slop to run ahead of you.