Avalanche forecast

Soldier & Wood River Valley Mtns

Sawtooth Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Thu
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 7 years ago.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 old, stiff wind-drifts overlie weak, sugary snow. You are most likely to find this snowpack scenario above about 9,000' in elevation.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    The last significant, reported avalanche in this zone occurred nearly 2 weeks ago when ski patrollers at Bald Mountain intentionally triggered an avalanche 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.

    This exact snowpack scenario—hard, wind-drifted snow overlying weak, faceted snow—is where you're most likely to find unstable conditions today. These slabs often form downwind of prominent terrain features and can sound "drummy" or feel hollow beneath your skis or sled. While triggering a slab avalanche is unlikely, I'd still pay attention in very steep, recently wind-loaded terrain, especially at elevations over about 9000'.

Avalanche Discussion

The mountains in this zone have a "low tide" appearance due to the well below average snowfall (click here, or see image below) since Thanksgiving. As the clear, cool weather facets, or "rots", the wind slabs near the surface, the entire snowpack is losing cohesion. We may begin to see loose snow avalanches that involve the entire snowpack—"facetlanches"—as the period of high pressure continues. If you're in very steep terrain and sinking down to the ground in soft snow, be aware of the chance of causing these rarely-seen loose snow avalanches.   

Regions covered