Avalanche forecast

Salmon River Mountains

Payette Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired 6 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Large human-triggered avalanches are likely on steep slopes above 6,500 feet. Persistent slab avalanches may be triggered remotely (from above, below, or on adjacent slopes). Cautious route-finding and good travel protocols are necessary, and the snowpack should be evaluated in a safe place. Keep your eyes on your partners.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1.5–2.5

    Triggering a large avalanche 1-3 feet deep is likely above 6,500 feet on open slopes that have been exposed to the wind. 1.5-2.5 feet of snowfall over the past week buried a variety of snow surfaces, including surface hoar, near-surface facets, and crusts. This interface (buried on 2/14) has been responsible for large, natural, and human-triggered avalanches in recent days. You're most likely to encounter this problem at the middle and upper elevations, across multiple aspects ranging from W-N-SE. 

    Triggering an even larger 2-4 foot persistent slab avalanche on weak layers buried on 2/8 is less likely, but not entirely out of the question. This deeper, persistent slab problem exists on shaded and protected slopes at the middle and upper elevations. Slopes that remain suspect with these deeply buried weak layers face NW-N-NE. 

    Persistent slabs have shown the potential to propagate long distances and catch people by surprise (as shown in this photo on the right). In recent days, we've received multiple reports of people remotely triggering (from above, below, or on adjacent slopes) persistent slabs. As more time passes since the last major storm, you may not receive any clear feedback (such as cracking, collapsing, or whumpfing) before an avalanche. The weight of a snowmachine is much more likely to affect buried weak layers than a person's weight. 

    (2/19/2026)

    This large persistent slab avalanche was triggered by a snowmobiler up Lick Creek on an east aspect, around 8,100 feet.

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Triggering a wind slab avalanche 1-2 feet deep is possible above 7,500 feet. Triggering a wind slab is most likely near ridgelines, beneath cornices, and on the sides of cross-loaded gullies. Avoid slopes steep enough to slide where you see evidence of wind loading, such as dunes, drifts, pillows, or feel denser/stiffer snow beneath your board(s) or sled. These avalanches can be large enough to bury people. Additionally, they can trigger or "step down" to Persistent Slab avalanches as they move downslope.

Avalanche Discussion

Since Valentine's Day, the mountains have received 1.5-2.5 feet of new snow (2-2.5" SWE). Tack on another 1-2 feet (1.5-2" SWE) since February 8th, for a total of 2.5-4.5 feet (3.5-4.5" SWE) over the past two weeks. The storm on 2/8 buried weak snow that formed during our month-long drought. A brief window of dry weather between 2/10-2/12 allowed for surface hoar, near-surface facets, and crusts to form at the snow surface. These recently buried weak layers have been particularly spicy. Large, persistent slab avalanches have been reported over the past 6 days. These avalanches have been triggered remotely and can propagate far and wide. You should not try to outsmart these avalanche problems. Play it safe today by adhering to safe travel practices with your group and avoiding steep, wind-loaded slopes that are protected from the sun and wind.

Submit an observation to help inform other users and improve information sharing. Don't want other people to know where you were? No problem, you can set it to private so only the forecast team can see it.

Regions covered