Avalanche forecast

Soldier & Wood River Valley Mtns

Sawtooth Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired last year.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

Highlights

Triggering a large avalanche is unlikely. If you were to find trouble, it would be in areas where the wind frequently blows with variable snow depths, especially in the mountains around the Wood River Valley. You may encounter small, easy-to-trigger wind slabs near or below ridgelines—these shouldn't be large enough to bury you, but they could knock you down and carry you where you don't want to go. Cornices are large and may be unstable—give them a wide berth.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    Slabs exist above layers of weak snow buried during February storms. Before triggering an avalanche, you're unlikely to experience obvious signs of instability like snowpack cracking or collapsing. You are most likely to trigger a slide in the mountains around the Wood River Valley, and where:

    • The snowpack is relatively shallow - where the wind frequently blows, spots may exist where the slab is not uniformly thick
    • Any part of the slope you are on or connected to is steeper than about 35 degrees
    • The slope faces the northern 2/3 of the compass

    (2/18/2025) A skier on Patterson Pk near Hailey triggered this large avalanche. After several turns on the slope, the slide broke above and around them. Thankfully, the skier was able to ski ahead and to the side of the slab. NW @ 8,050'. Photo: Sawtooth Avalanche Center

Avalanche Discussion

You may encounter small, easy-to-trigger wind slabs near or below ridgelines and cross-loaded gullies. Moderate northerly winds may have transported snow to a slick, crusty surface from shadier aspects. It's unlikely that these thin wind slabs will be large enough to bury a person, but they could knock you off your feet or sled and carry you where you don't want to go. This problem likely doesn't exist everywhere, but if you find fresh drifts and observe snowpack cracking, you have found an unstable slab. 

Build margins around traveling near cornices; last week's warm temperatures have caused cornices to sag and become unstable. They can break further back than you may think. 

Regions covered