Lawinenlagebericht

Sawtooth & Western Smoky Mtns

Sawtooth Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Sun
Hochgebirge
4 · Gross
Waldgrenze
4 · Gross
Unterhalb
3 · Erheblich
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Kernpunkte

Heavy snowfall, wind-drifting, and warming temperatures have created very dangerous avalanche conditions. Human-triggered avalanches are almost certain. Stay off of and out from below all steep slopes. Avalanches can be triggered remotely—from below, above, and to the sides of steeper terrain.

Lawinenprobleme

  • Storm Slabs

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

    The recent snowpocalypse dropped 2 to more than 3' of new snow in the Sawtooths & Western Smokys zone. This substantial amount of snowfall was accompanied by strong winds on Wednesday and Thursday, then warming temperatures yesterday. 

    This storm snow is not sticking well to the old snow surfaces—which consisted of facets, crusts, surface hoar, and wind-hammered ice. Yesterday's warming temperatures helped to consolidate the storm snow into a more cohesive slab. Storm slabs will be thicker, stiffer, and more dangerous in windier terrain. Riders in the Salmon Headwaters reported more than a half-dozen natural avalanches that released yesterday while they were out playing in mellow terrain. Any storm slab that releases could "step-down" into more deeply buried weak layers, causing an even bigger avalanche (see Persistent Slab problem).

    Conditions remain extremely dangerous today. My advice to you is simple and adamant. Avoid all avalanche terrain. Avoid being on, below, or near steep slopes. 

    (1/27/2021) Cracking in freshly formed drifts along the Fishhook drainage in the Sawtooth Mountains.

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    Even before this storm, this zone had a problematic weak layer of faceted snow buried around 3' deep that's produced numerous bouts of natural and human-triggered avalanches this season. The dust has yet to settle from the recent storm, and today we will likely get a better sense of the full effect of the storm on the weak snowpack it fell on. In the neighboring Galena Summit & Eastern Mtns zone, we've already had reports of natural and remotely-triggered avalanches that likely released on these deeper layers.

    Conditions remain extremely dangerous today. My advice to you is simple and adamant. Avoid all avalanche terrain. Avoid being on, below, or near steep slopes.

    (1/28/2021) Avalanche above Titus Lake that was likely remotely-triggered from the ridge above.

Avalanche Discussion

The AVALANCHE WARNINGS for the Soldier & Wood River Valley, Galena Summit & Eastern Mountains, and Sawtooth & Western Smoky Zones have been extended until 6AM Sunday.

Exceedingly dangerous avalanche conditions are widespread throughout most of the forecast area. In comparison to our periods of "normal" elevated avalanche danger, conditions now can affect people who may not normally think about avalanches—dog walkers, out-of-bounds skiers, mountain residents. The avalanche danger is such that the only safe approach is to avoid all avalanche terrain. This means avoiding being on, below, or near steep slopes—whether you're in the backcountry, taking a walk, or just past the ski area boundary rope.

If you're reading this, you likely "get it", but maybe you know someone that doesn't. Conditions are ripe for an avalanche accident. In a small town, avalanche deaths impact us all—nearly everyone is only a few degrees of separation from being an acquaintance. Please help spread the word, and if you see someone ducking the rope on Baldy, don't be afraid to speak up. Maybe you'll save a life.

Be sure to check out Scott's latest Weekend Update to catch up on all the excitement.

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