Avalanche forecast

Sawtooth & Western Smoky Mtns

Sawtooth Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago.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

Highlights

It's possible to trigger a large, destructive slide on weak snow layers in the upper few feet of the snowpack. You're most likely to trigger one of these avalanches in steep, rocky, heavily wind-affected terrain.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2–3

    The odds are low, but you could still trigger a large, destructive, Persistent Slab avalanche. These slides would fail on persistent weak layers, including crusts + facets on sunnier slopes and facets or surface hoar on shadier slopes. You can reduce your risk by avoiding steep, rocky, heavily wind-affected terrain on the N half of the compass. Here, the combination of stiff slabs and thin areas of the snowpack make avalanches easier to trigger.

    Persistent Slab avalanches can release in surprising ways. You can trigger them from flat or low-angle terrain long distances away from steep slopes, and they can break far above you. Before triggering an avalanche, you may not experience snowpack collapsing or other obvious signs of instability.

    (3/14/2024) This large avalanche was triggered on ascent as three people booted up the final 20' to the saddle at the top. No one was caught. The avalanche broke 2' deep on faceted snow. Sawtooth Mtns, N @ 9,900'.

Regions covered