Boletín de aludes

Soldier & Wood River Valley Mtns

Sawtooth Avalanche Center
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Peligro de aludes

Sun
Alta montaña
4 · Fuerte
Límite del bosque
4 · Fuerte
Bajo el límite
4 · Fuerte
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Desactualizado: este boletín caducó 6 years ago. Estás viendo condiciones pasadas, no el boletín vigente.

Lo esencial

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.

Problemas de aludes

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alta montaña
    • Límite del bosque
    • Bajo el límite del bosque
    Probabilidad
    Very Likely
    Tamaño
    2–3

    The recent snowpocalypse scored a direct hit on the Soldier & WRV Mtns zone—snow totals since Tuesday night ranged from 3 to more than 4' of new snow. This obscene amount of snowfall was accompanied by strong winds on Wednesday and Thursday, then warming temperatures yesterday. 

    The dust has yet to settle, and today we will get a better sense of the full effect of the storm on the exceedingly weak snowpack it fell on. But yesterday provided ample evidence that avalanche conditions are exceptionally dangerous. Even with mediocre visibility, folks observed widespread natural avalanches in the Wood River Valley. Two close calls involving triggered avalanches occurred in the Baldy O.B., and skiers triggered "Scorpion" just above the Warm Springs base area that partially buried a vehicle.

    Conditions remain extremely dangerous today, even before we consider the effects of last night's NW wind and today's sunshine and warming temps at lower elevations. My advice to you is simple and adamant. Avoid all avalanche terrain. Avoid being on, below, or near steep slopes. Even if you remotely-trigger a slide that doesn't catch you—think about where it could go and who else it might harm.

    (1/29/2021) These large natural avalanches failed during the intense storm that drew to a close yesterday. They failed in the Warm Springs Creek drainage above Board Ranch.

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alta montaña
    • Límite del bosque
    • Bajo el límite del bosque
    Probabilidad
    Very Likely
    Tamaño
    1–2

    The 3-4'+ of new snow that smothered this zone 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, and many natural avalanches released as a result. Storm slabs will be thicker, stiffer, and more dangerous in windier terrain. Any storm slab that releases could "step-down" into more deeply buried weak layers, causing an even bigger avalanche (see Persistent Slab problem).

    Again, the travel advice is simple. Avoid all avalanche terrain.

    (1/29/2021) This large avalanche was triggered by a skier in the out of bounds terrain immediately adjacent to Baldy on Friday. Nobody was caught in the avalanche. It hit houses and buried a vehicle at the base of the slope.

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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