Avalanche forecast

East Cabinet Mountains

Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Recent snowfall and moderate winds have created small wind slabs at tree line and above. These wind slabs will be thicker and more reactive at elevations above tree line. 

This issue can be avoided by steering clear of steep terrain that lies directly below ridgelines and by avoiding steep chutes that have been "cross-loaded" by the fresh snow and winds.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    On Thursday we observed fresh snow being transported by winds blowing at approximately 15 mph out of the west and south. Small wind slabs were building in steep gullies, and below ridgelines on north and east facing terrain. Slabs will be thickest at elevations above tree line, and they will continue to build through the weekend as more snow falls and the winds increase Friday through Saturday. These wind slabs will become most hazardous in the alpine terrain of the East Cabinets if snowfall and predicted winds materialize.

Avalanche Discussion

The snowpack conditions on the Kootenai have not changed much in the past month. The overall theme is "thin, but generally stable in structure". At most locations in the East and West Cabinets I encounter enough snow to confidently ride at around 5,500' thanks to multiple crust layers that support a rider from breaking through to the ground. There are still plenty of buried obstacles to run into, so it requires some caution to keep right-side up! I continue to avoid the Purcell Range until more snow falls, a quick look at the Snotel sites reveal that Hawkins Lake currently sits at 19" and Banfield is boasting a meager 13". 

Snowpack structure currently consists of multiple hard crust layers, some of which have developed weak sugary snow above and below them. None of them concern me much at this time, but that could change with a significant snow load. The last storm system failed to produce much snowfall, but more is predicted, we will watch this closely and keep fingers crossed. For a quick update on conditions click on the video below.

 

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