Avalanche forecast

Sawtooth & Western Smoky Mtns

Sawtooth Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired last year. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Recent new snow and consistent moderate winds have created sensitive drifts and slabs at upper elevations. To avoid avalanches, be on the lookout for shooting cracks and other wind-features around avalanche start zones as an indicator to move to mellower or more sheltered terrain. Open exposed terrain, near ridgelines, cross-loaded gullies, aprons below steep chutes or cliffs and alpine features are areas where you're most likely to trigger a large avalanche today.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Moderate winds coupled with 20+ inches of snowfall have formed touchy wind slabs up to 3 feet thick in the past 48 hours. Expect to find these slabs in open terrain, near ridgelines, in cross-loaded gullies, and in steep arpons below chutes, couloirs and cliffs at middle and upper elevations, primarily on NW, N, NE, E, and SE slopes. The alpine areas of the Sawtooths and the Smoky crest, where the most snow fell and variable orographic winds quickly redistributed snow, are expected to be the most dangerous today.

    Cracks shooting out from your sled or boards are a clear sign you've found a slab and should dial back your terrain choices. Other evidence to look for is wind drifted "whales" or "dunes," wind loaded "lenses" or "pillows," and listen for hollow "drum-like" sounding surface snow. On some slopes, crusts and / or weak snow exist beneath the new snow, meaning that avalanches could be easy to trigger and may break wider than you expect.

    (2/24/2025) Large slab avalanches in the Meadow drainage of the Sawtooths

    Photo: Zachary Miller

Avalanche Discussion

The western edge of the Sawtooths and Western Smokys received the most snowfall in recent storm (10-20 inches or more). The alpine areas of these ranges are expected to hold the touchiest avalanche conditions because they have the highest snow totals and most consistent winds and are worth giving a wide berth as we wait for the storm snow to settle out. Avalanche observations were limited yesterday due to the obscurred cloud cover, but we did spot a few large natural slab avalanches in the Sawtooths near the Williams Peak Yurt.

Although unlikely, there is still a small chance that avalanches within the new snow could step-down and trigger large, deep persistent slabs. This is especially concerning in the south-eastern edges of the forecast area, such as the drainages near Smiley Creek townsite.

Regions covered