Boletín de aludes

Banner Summit

Sawtooth Avalanche Center
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Peligro de aludes

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

Lo esencial

The snowpack is generally stable and triggering a large avalanche is unlikely. Watch for rocky, wind-swept slopes with variable snowpack depths—these are the areas where you could find trouble. Small sluffs involving the surface snow may release naturally on very steep, sunny slopes.

Problemas de aludes

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alta montaña
    • Límite del bosque
    • Bajo el límite del bosque
    Probabilidad
    Unlikely
    Tamaño
    1.5–2

    Your odds of triggering a large, dense slab avalanche are low but not zero. Avalanches are easier to trigger in thin spots at the edges of slabs and wind-features. Watch for these trigger points on the northern half of the compass, where the wind frequently blows, and the snowpack depth is variable. Many shady slopes in rocky alpine cirques fit that description. Some visual clues to identify suspect slopes:

    • Stiff or textured surfaces and wind-pillows, evidence the wind has moved snow  
    • Rocks sticking out of the snow, either near or well below ridgelines
    • Terrain where some part of the slope is at least 35 degrees in steepness

    If you do trigger an avalanche, you probably won't observe obvious signs of instability like snowpack collapsing or cracking beforehand. Any triggered avalanches have the potential to break above you. 

    Additional Discussion - surface snow issues:  Today's sunshine could cause loose snow sluffs to release naturally. These small slides could entrain weak snow as they move downhill, becoming large enough to knock you off your feet or sled and carry you where you don't want to go. 

Avalanche Discussion

Triggering large avalanches is unlikely, and generally stable conditions exist. That said, you may still find trouble in shaded, winded, rocky alpine cirques with variable snow depths. This video highlights potential trigger points near ridgelines or rocky ribs. 

While large avalanches are unlikely, you may be able to trigger sluffs on shaded, very steep slopes where the upper portion of the snowpack is faceted. A skier last Thursday intentionally triggered one of these "facet-lanches" in the western Smokys. Yesterday, ski guides in this zone reported low-volume, slow-moving sluffing on steep slopes. These sluffs shouldn't be large enough to bury a person but could knock you off your feet and carry you where you don't want to go.

You can always hedge your bets when skiing or riding in avalanche terrain by traveling with a knowledgeable partner and avoiding slopes that end in terrain traps, such as thick trees, cliffs, and creek bottoms.

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