Boletín de aludes

Selkirk Mountains

Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center
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Peligro de aludes

Sat
Alta montaña
2 · Moderado
Límite del bosque
2 · Moderado
Bajo el límite
1 · Débil
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Desactualizado: este boletín caducó 7 months ago. Estás viendo condiciones pasadas, no el boletín vigente.

Lo esencial

Shallow, dense slabs of snow sitting on top of weaker snow and a firm crust will be susceptible to failure from the added weight of a rider or machine. Northerly and easterly-facing slopes with about 6 inches or more of drifted snow and where the surface has a lens-shaped appearance identify the places to go around to avoid triggering a larger avalanche. Warming temperatures on Friday will push the rain line higher in elevation - between 5,000 and 6,000 feet - and may provoke small wet snow sluffs from steeper, rockier terrain.

Problemas de aludes

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Light winds and moderate gusts from the southwest will transport the new snow into fresh drifts at middle and upper elevations. You may find larger, more reactive slabs that are 6 inches or deeper below ridgelines or at the tops of gullies features. These slabs are overlying weak surfaces that formed during the previous 2 weeks of dry weather and are now buried by new snowfall over the last 2 days, with modest amounts of new snow and continued wind forecasted today. Carefully choosing your route around these specific terrain features and sticking to sheltered terrain will reduce your chances of encountering Wind Slabs.

    Cracking on the snow surface is one sign of instability in new snowfall or in fresh wind drifted areas.  West Cabinet Mountains. 1/28/26.

    Photo: Micah Krmpotich

  • Loose Wet

    • Alta montaña
    • Límite del bosque
    • Bajo el límite del bosque
    Probabilidad
    Possible
    Tamaño
    1

    Rising rain lines are forecasted to reach around 5500’ feet in the Selkirks and West Cabinets by the end of today. Liquid water input to snow surfaces will change snow behavior and cause the new snow to lose cohesion. Although any natural or human triggered Wet Loose avalanche will be small, they have the potential to run farther distances in places where the surface crust is firm and creating a slick sliding plane. If you are recreating around steep slopes, look for signs that this change is occurring such as rollerballs running downslope or a wet and sticky snow surface. Avoid exposure to runout zones and gullies if you observe natural sluffs gaining in size around cliff bands or steep rocky features.

    Naturally occuring pinwheels and wet punchy snow are both clear indicators that the snow surface is saturated and vulnerable to wet loose avalanche activity on steep slopes.

    Photo: Jackson George

Avalanche Discussion

Incremental amounts of snow, rain and wind have led to a variety of avalanche problems, with different areas across the forecast region experiencing varying precipitation types and amounts. Areas within the Selkirk and Cabinet Mountains have received a modest 5 inches of snow since the shift in weather started, while the Silver Valley-Bitterroots measure closer to 3 inches.

Another weak disturbance passes across the Panhandle today, delivering another shot of precipitation. Unfortunately, warm temperatures are already in place, so the snow line will creep up to 5500’ in the north and 6000’ in the south. Below the rising snow line, light rain will fall in the valleys and slowly work up the mountains. As liquid input from increasing temperatures and rain affects the snow surface, small Wet Loose avalanches could materialize. Although these avalanches will be small in size, they may run longer distances than you might expect due to the firm surface and slick sliding plane below the new snow.

Above the snow line, several observations across the area have reported finding the surface hoar that developed during the long dry January spell to be preserved by the new snowfall in some locations. (Observation from the Silver Valley-Bitterroots) (Observation from the West Cabinets).One silver lining to the increasing temperatures and liquid moisture is that it may continue to help destroy some of those weak feathers at lower elevations. However, terrain above that and places that have seen lighter density snow and slightly colder temperatures- such as the northern Selkirks, have a better chance for these pesky weak layers to survive on more slopes for a longer time. What happens with the weather in the coming days will give us a better idea of the distribution.

With more snow available for transport in the Selkirk and West Cabinet Mountains, winds from the southwest will work to form new drifts below ridgelines and in the tops of steep gullies. Slopes that have drifts that are greater than about 6 inches will likely be more reactive and break wider across the slope if they have formed on a firm or icy surface. You can identify these new slabs by looking for shooting cracks in the new snow or seeing dune shaped pillows.  

Make sure to keep your avalanche brain engaged and continue to use good travel habits. If you get out and about, please consider dropping us an observation HERE or through the AvyApp. Something as simple as describing the weather and surface conditions goes a long way to help our forecast products and your local avalanche community. We have received some very helpful public observations recently, and we look forward to more.

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IPAC is now on the Avy app! View, submit, and share observations on the go using the AvyApp. Your backcountry observations are critical for building our avalanche forecasts. Avy provides a centralized location for core trip planning, and you can view streamlined, up-to-date avalanche and weather forecasts for your selected zone, using offline caching. Download Avy today - App Store and Google Play.

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