Avalanche forecast

Soldier & Wood River Valley Mtns

Sawtooth Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 6 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Avalanches are unlikely, and most slopes are safe.  Be on the lookout for areas where hard wind-drifts overlie weak, sugary snow. You are most likely to find this snowpack scenario above about 9,000 feet in elevation.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    The last significant, reported avalanche in this zone occurred on February 6th when ski patrollers at Bald Mountain triggered a small slide during mitigation work before opening the ski area. The slide failed on a wind-loaded slope that sees little ski traffic and harbored weak, sugary, faceted snow in the lower part of the snowpack. 

    Ben recently visited the Pioneer Mtns and found a thin, weak, generally stable snowpack. Most slopes were lacking the slab part of the avalanche equation (slab+weak layer+steep slope+trigger=avalanche).

    Triggering an avalanche today will require a slope that harbors both weak faceted snow and a hard, wind-drifted slab. This scenario is most likely at elevations over about 9,000'. Slabs often form downwind of prominent terrain features and can sound "drummy" or feel hollow beneath your skis or sled. 

     

     

Avalanche Discussion

When it comes to snowfall in this zone I can't help but think of the stark contrast between last February and this February. I'll admit, it was almost exactly a year ago that I broke down and bought a snowblower, so I'll take some of the blame but I know I'm not alone! The Soldier and Wood River Valley Zone has received less than 10" of snow this month and the ever-increasing sun angle is quickly reducing the snowpack on sunny aspects to dirt.

There are lots of generally safe places to enjoy the day but a winter mountain environment is never devoid of avalanche danger. Continue to practice safe travel techniques: give cornices a wide berth, ski or ride one at a time, and keep an eye on each other. If you find a small sensitive slab, don't write it off as an "outlier". If something doesn't feel right, back off and come back another day. The consequences of even a small slide are amplified in extreme terrain. 

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