Soldier & Wood River Valley Mtns

Avalanches are possible above 7500' in the western and northern regions of this zone. You can minimize the odds of finding trouble by avoiding steep, wind-affected, rocky slopes with variable snow depths as well as sunny slopes when the surface snow is moist or mushy.

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 7500' near the Coyote and Tornak huts (photo); in the Warm Springs Ck drainage, including out of bounds on Bald Mountain (video); in the mountains north of Ketchum; and in the Soldier Mtns. If you're traveling in these areas, refer to the Galena Summit & Eastern Mtns forecast.

Much of the terrain in this zone was snow free until the holiday storm cycle. Access and travel are challenging or impossible in many standard recreational play areas due to thin or non-existent snow cover. Access will worsen during the ongoing warm and sunny spell.

Dry slab avalanches: The deeper snowpacks in the higher elevation terrain in the northern and western edges of this zone probably resemble the snowpack in the southwestern part of the Galena Summit & Eastern Mtns zone. In these areas, many steep slopes that face away from the afternoon sun (NW-N-NE-E-SE aspects) near and above 7500 ft harbor crusts and weak, sugary, faceted snow below a dense, thick slab. Slopes with obvious wind-loading or stiff snow at the surface are most suspect. Cracks shooting out from you and "whumpfing" sounds as the snowpack collapses are red flags that indicate unstable conditions. Avoid steep slopes if you experience these obvious signs of instability. Triggered slides could be wider than you expect. 

Sun-driven loose snow avalanches:  Periods of unobscured sunshine and light wind will increase the threat of loose snow avalanches releasing on their own. These slides often initiate near the base of trees and rocks, gathering snow and growing in size as they move downhill. While generally small, these slides could knock you off your feet or push you where you don't want to go. 

Tragically, three people were killed in avalanches in recent days in neighboring states. A snowmobiler was killed SE of Afton, Wyoming on Sunday (view limited information here). Last Friday, a Washington avalanche caught four skiers and killed two (more information).