Avalanche forecast

Salmon River Mountains

Payette Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 8 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

It is possible to trigger an avalanche 1-3 feet deep in steep, wind-loaded terrain at middle and upper elevations today. These slabs will grow in size and distribution as you move higher in elevation, but will most likely be above 7,500 feet on east-facing terrain.  Look for evidence of wind, such as drifts along exposed ridgelines, stiffened surfaces, or cornices, and consider moving to sheltered, low-angle terrain if you see cracking or recent avalanches. Avalanches are unlikely at the low elevations.

 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Low-density snow from the past 24 hours will continue redistributing in light to moderate winds at upper elevations. N-NW winds have been blowing relatively lightly but consistently—peaking yesterday and overnight. Northerly winds often blow upslope, creating unusual loading patterns and cross-loading.  These winds have been transporting snow and building slabs atop weak snow surfaces, forming soft slabs 1-3 feet deep on the leeward sides of ridges and slopes. These slabs will be most sensitive to a rider's weight in steep, exposed pockets above 7,500 feet. Look for signs of wind loading, including fresh drifts, textured surfaces, and features that may remain soft but appear dune-like and rippled. The best approach is to "identify and avoid." 

    It's worth noting that a few layers of weak snow lie within the top three feet of the snowpack. These interfaces are fairly easy to find but present in a spatially sporadic manner due to high rain lines, winds redistributing what was once weak snow at the surface, and turbulent storms producing a variety of snow crystal types over several days. Checking out the snow via probing and digging is a must before committing to any steep slope, especially if entering terrain above 8,000 feet.   

    (12/27/2025)

    Small wind slab crown below a ridge around 8,000 feet. 

    Photo: Payette Avalanche Center

Avalanche Discussion

There's nothing quite like the powder snow produced from northerly flow. It can hold just enough moisture to deposit a sizeable amount of the softest snow you could ever ride—and lately, the added benefit of not running a sled on a completely dry road is a plus.  Even with avalanche conditions slowly trending towards greater stability, continue to evaluate and re-evaluate new snow conditions, especially with fresh snow available for transport.  How I travel doesn't change—even if the avalanche hazard does. This means that honest communication, snowpack evaluation in the terrain we choose, and moving one at a time in avalanche terrain is a bare minimum we should expect from ourselves [and others].

As humans traveling in objectively hazardous terrain, the mountains will always hold the cards. As mentioned above, a few takeaways should be:

  1.  A few layers of weak snow lie within the top three feet of the snowpack. They are composed of a mix of snow crystal types produced in variable storms, along with some small near-surface facets formed during brief clearings. These will likely not last long, but are certainly present and hold the potential to remain unstable. 
  2. These interfaces are fairly easy to find but present in a spatially sporadic manner due to high rain lines, winds redistributing what was once weak snow at the surface, and turbulent storms producing a variety of snow crystal types over several days. Checking out the snow via probing and digging is a must before committing to any steep slope, especially if entering terrain above 8,000 feet.
  3. Though we've had a phenomenally strange start to the season with limited access, don't go to the grocery store hungry—keep your head on a swivel and always look for evidence beneath the surface when making slope-scale decisions. 

If you're out in the mountains, submit an online observation HERE. Even simple snow and weather observations can help keep other users safe and help us craft a more reliable forecast for you.

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