Salmon River Mountains

Avalanche problems

• 

  Wind Slabs

  N

  NE

  E

  SE

  S

  SW

  W

  NW

  • Alpine
  • Treeline
  • Below treeline

  Likelihood

  Possible

  Size

  1–2

  Over the past 24 hours, we've had 4-6 inches of new snowfall and moderate to light southern winds. Due to the changing wind direction, you could find wind slabs across multiple aspects today. Wind slabs could be 6-12 inches deep and will be deepest and most reactive above 7,500 feet, on NW, N, and NE-facing slopes. They will be more likely along exposed upper elevation ridgelines and in alpine terrain. There is also a small chance of triggering an older wind slab formed by winds this past week. Evidence of these older drifts will be masked by today's new snow, but will likely feel stiff, hard, or "drummy" underfoot or on a sled. New and older wind slabs will be most problematic in high-consequence terrain where getting knocked off your board(s) or machine, or getting taken for a ride by even a small slide, would be dangerous.

  New snow has fallen atop weak snow (near-surface facets and surface hoar) that formed during this past week. Throw in some melt-freeze crusts on solar aspects, and you've got a mixed bag of snow surfaces for new wind slabs to form on top of. These recently buried weak layers will become most problematic in areas of terrain that were not affected by sun, wind, or recent warm temperatures. That would be at middle elevations (between 6,500 and 7,500 feet), in shaded spots where recent cool air was pooling. Be heads up around unsuspecting terrain features like small, steep rollovers amongst open meadows.