Avalanche forecast

Soldier & Wood River Valley Mtns

Sawtooth Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Thu
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

You could trigger avalanches where the wind has formed hard drifts or created very stiff snow surfaces. At middle and lower elevations, you are less likely to trigger avalanches large enough to bury people. 

In this zone, conditions are most dangerous near Dollarhide Summit and in the upper reaches of the Warm Springs Creek drainage.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    What is it? You could find fresh wind slabs up to about a foot thick in exposed terrain. The strong to extreme, NW-N-NE winds of the past 36 hours formed some stiff and hard slabs in this zone. Wind slabs could overlie weak facets or crusts—especially on SE-S-SW aspects—and be more sensitive to triggering than you might expect.  

    Where is it? Look for wind-blown snow below exposed ridgelines, on the sides of gullies or chutes, and near large terrain features. Wind slabs will be thickest, widest, and most common at upper elevations, especially in the northern and western portions of this zone where more snow fell yesterday.  

    How can you recognize it? Cracks shooting out from your skis or sled are an obvious sign of instability. Watch for drifts, dunes, and ripples on the snow surface. Wind slabs can have a smooth, chalky appearance and feel and sound hollow, like a drum. Wind-deposited snow will be stiffer and keep your skis or snowmobile on or closer to the surface.       

    How can you manage it? Managing this problem is simple; steer clear of recent wind drifts and slabs on slopes steeper than about 35 degrees. Hard slabs that keep you or your sled on the snow surface can behave unpredictably, breaking above skiers and riders. 

Avalanche Discussion

Steering clear of recently formed drifts and slabs is the most effective way to stay out of trouble today. While minor, there are two other scenarios to keep in mind as you prepare to head into the mountains:

  • Loose snow avalanches: Portions of this zone received a few inches of low-density snowfall yesterday and could see more of the same this afternoon. Also, the upper foot of the snowpack is extremely weak and faceted on some NW-N-NE-E facing slopes. On very steep slopes approaching 40 degrees, it won't take much to get surficial sluffs moving (photo). A little bit of direct sunshine, new snowfall, or some wind-blown snow sifting onto a steep slope could trigger natural loose snow avalanches. These probably won't be big enough to bury you, but they can pack a punch and could knock you over, pushing you where you don't want to go. Sluffs have the potential to trigger wind slab avalanches when recent winds formed stiff drifts lower in cirques and on the aprons of chutes and couloirs. 
  • "Rogue" persistent slab avalanches: Triggering a larger avalanche on weak, sugary faceted snow deep in the snowpack would take some seriously bad luck. To minimize the odds of this scenario, you can avoid very steep (approaching 40*) slopes with large, hard wind features that keep you on the snow surface. This scenario is most likely in the western half of this zone (the Dollarhide Summit area and the Soldier Mtns). 

Pay attention to the terrain above you. Even small avalanches can ruin your day in complex, high-consequence terrain. Before committing to skiing or riding that steep, beautiful-looking line, think about where an avalanche could carry you. Could you get pushed over cliffs, through trees, or into a creek or gully? Slopes with these terrain traps are inherently more dangerous than open slopes with a clean runout. 

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