Avalanche forecast

Soldier & Wood River Valley Mtns

Sawtooth Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

Wet snow avalanches are possible in steep, rocky terrain receiving direct sun—be wary of traveling on or below these slopes, especially later in the day. Triggering a large, thick avalanche is unlikely, but if you were to find trouble, it would be on steep slopes facing the northern two-thirds of the compass near and east of HWY 75.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5

    Anticipate loose snow avalanches on very steep, rocky slopes receiving direct sun. Avalanche activity is most likely on S-facing slopes by midday and on W-facing terrain this afternoon. These slides often initiate near the base of trees and rocks, gathering snow and growing in size as they move downhill. Rollerballs, or pinwheels, signify that the snow is heating up, and wet avalanches may soon follow. 

    While most will start small, they will be plenty large enough to knock you off your feet and carry you into unwanted terrain. Even small slides are consequential above terrain traps such as gullies, creeks, and thick timber. Plan your day to avoid lingering under steep, sunny slopes.

    In the mountains east of HWY 75, the snowpack has melted significantly, and many southern slopes have little snow remaining. As a result, wet loose avalanches are unlikely in these areas.

    (2/26/2025) Wet loose avalanches on a low elevation W-facing slope in the Warm Springs Drainage. Photo: Sawtooth Avalanche Center

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    Slabs exist above widespread, weak layers (facets, surface hoar, crusts, and combinations). Persistent Slab avalanches are most likely in thinner snowpacks around the Wood River Valley. Before triggering an avalanche, you may not experience obvious signs of instability like snowpack cracking and collapsing or whumpfing. Persistent Slabs can release in surprising ways and break much wider than expected. You are most likely to trigger a dense, 2-4 foot thick avalanche where:

    • The snowpack is less than 4 feet thick—relatively shallower spots may exist where the wind frequently blows, and the slab is not uniformly thick.
    • Any part of the slope you are on or connected to is steeper than about 35 degrees
    • The slope faces the northern 2/3 of the compass
    • A smaller wind slab or loose snow avalanche overloads the buried weak layers

    (2/18/2025) A skier on Patterson Pk near Hailey triggered this large avalanche. After several turns on the slope, the slide broke above and around them. Thankfully, the skier was able to ski ahead and to the side of the slab. NW @ 8,050'. Photo: Sawtooth Avalanche Center

Avalanche Discussion

Any thin surface crusts that formed overnight will break down quickly, following the path of the sun—E and SE in the morning and S, SW, and W in the afternoon. If you are traveling on a frozen snow surface, the likelihood of finding wet snow problems is low. However, once these crusts break down, the likelihood of human-triggered slides will increase greatly. Many slopes have shed over the last few days of warm temperatures, and signs of instability like rollerballs, pinwheels, and natural slides may not be obvious. A mushy, wet snow surface indicates that stability is deteriorating, and it is time to seek shadier slopes. Plan your day to avoid traveling on or below steep slopes basking in direct sunlight, especially later in the day when temperatures and sunshine are at their peak. 

Triggering a large persistent slab avalanche is unlikely. However, if you were to find trouble, it would likely be east of HWY 75 in the Wood River Valley, where the snowpack remains generally shallow. Yesterday, on Patterson Peak, Ethan noted that you would most likely find this problem on very steep, previously wind-loaded slopes facing NW, N, or NE. 

Regions covered