Lawinenlagebericht

Lawinenlagebericht

Payette Avalanche Center
Auf der Karte ansehen

Lawinengefahr

Hochgebirge
2 · Mässig
Waldgrenze
1 · Gering
Unterhalb
1 · Gering
Veraltet — dieser Lagebericht ist 4 years ago abgelaufen. Du siehst vergangene Verhältnisse, nicht den aktuellen Bericht.

Kernpunkte

Wind slabs have formed from variable, yet mostly Northern winds and the upper snowpack still remains loose or un-consolidated enough to sluff or move with you in steep terrain. 

Watch for signs of drifting and or loading, and use caution in wind loaded and steep terrain. If you are seeing red flags, turn around and choose a safer route.

Lawinenprobleme

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Variable yet mostly Northern winds have recently moved and stiffened snow on Northern aspects, and created drifts and slabs in leeward terrain.  With the variability, be suspect on all aspects above 7,000 feet where fesh-sensitive slabs have formed. 

    Watch for signs of drifting in the location that you are at, and use caution in and around cornices and wind-loaded terrain. If you are seeing red flags like shooting cracks beyond your sled or skis, find another lower angle safer route.

    The surface snow was getting thicker and slabby from the Moderate North winds as well as the misty clouds above 8,000 feet that caked up the surface of the snow and formed a thin crust not only on the surface but on my camera lens. Cracks did not shoot out from my skis 

    Photo: GH

  • Loose Dry

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

    On sustained slopes that are steeper than 30 degrees, skiers were able to trigger loose snow avalanches in the upper 2 feet of the snowpack which ran further than they expected and buried their skin track. Check out the awesome observation submitted to our page!

    Be cautious in steep and exposed terrain where a small loose snow avalanche or sluff can steer you in the wrong direction into terrain traps or off of cliffs. 

    (1/25/2023)

    Lick Creek on Wednesday on a West aspect. Loose snow avalanche or sluff that was submitted to our Observations page from skiers that were able to trigger the upper loose snowpack and had it run farther than they expected.

    Photo: GH

Avalanche Discussion

Today's forecast is sponsored by Brundage Mountain Resort. Thank You for supporting the PAC!

The snowpack has gained a lot of strength in the last week and has shown no signs of propagating fractures in our test pits. The upper 2 feet of snow has been cold and has stayed loose which has been great for riding and sliding. The only human-triggered avalanche reported in the last week has been on Wednesday from skiers East of McCall in the Lick Creek drainage triggering loose snow avalanches or sluffs in the upper snowpack while skiing a West aspect.

Wind slabs in upper elevations have formed and may be reactive to the weight of a person. Steep terrain with the help of a trigger like you or the Sun may produce decent D-1-1.5 sluffs, or loose snow avalanches that may not kill you but could send you into places you would rather avoid.  As we get more snow and wind over the next 48 hours, we will likely see our avalanche problems compound.

Don't forget we have 2 big events this weekend you don't want to miss:

Friends of the PAC fundraiser during Winter Carnival! January 28 @ 3:00 pm - 10:00 pm  $5

Join us for this season’s fundraiser at a NEW location and time! We’ve reserved the Ponderosa Center Terrace downtown Saturday afternoon and evening, January 28th, the first weekend of Winter Carnival. Tentative plans are to have live music with local bands starting at 4pm with Shawn Tracy until 5:30, then our forecasters providing a season state-of-the-snowpack update, followed by fireworks at 6:00pm, then Jughandle Parade plays from 6:30 to 8:30, and finally West Mountain Takeover plays until 10pm! All this time, we hope to have beer concessionaires providing adult and non-alcoholic beverages, and ongoing beacon and rescue practice opportunities. If you would like to volunteer to help with this big event, contact us please!

  IDPR Avalanche Awareness at Mile High Powersports January 27 @ 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm  Free

This is part one of two presentations in our avalanche safety education programs. Attendance to this awareness presentation is required to attend the companion rescue clinic field training the next day, Saturday at the West Face snowmobile lot.

Since avalanches are the number one cause of snowmobile fatalities in the west, the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation is presenting this free snowmobile based Avalanche Awareness presentation. This presentation is designed to familiarize the winter backcountry enthusiast with hazard recognition and techniques for safe travel in avalanche terrain. In 90 percent of the avalanche accidents, the victim or someone in the victim’s party triggers the avalanche. Avalanche conditions are predictable and many accidents can be prevented. If you are planning to ride in avalanche terrain, be sure to check the local avalanche forecast before your trip. We encourage you to take an avalanche awareness course if you ride in avalanche country, and check the United States Forest Service avalanche center forecast website.