Soldier & Wood River Valley Mtns

Natural and human triggered avalanches are very likely to release on slopes above 8500 ft. Large avalanches are most likely as you climb into windier, upper elevation terrain in the western and northern edges of this zone. Stay off of and out from beneath steep slopes in these areas.

An AVALANCHE WARNING includes the upper reaches of the Warm Springs Ck drainage and the Soldier Mtns. 

We will begin issuing daily Avalanche Forecasts with Danger Ratings when snow cover allows for reasonable backcountry recreational access. 

If you're travelling above 8500 ft or along the northern border of this zone (in areas such as at Dollarhide Summit and the Soldier Mountains) please refer to the Galena Summit and Eastern Mountains forecast.

Much of the terrain in this zone was snow free until recent days. The deepest snowpacks are in the higher elevation terrain in the northern border of this zone, around Dollarhide Summit and in the Soldier Mountains. Consistently high rain-lines this month have prevented a snowpack from developing at middle and lower elevations.

Shady slopes (NW-N-NE-E aspects) near and above 8500 ft on Bald Mountain, in the Soldier Mountains, near Dollarhide Summit, and near the border of the Galena Summit & Eastern Mountains zone have a legitimate snowpack and are the most dangerous. Consistent moderate to strong winds formed sensitive wind slabs on leeward (N-NE-E-SE-S) slopes. These slabs have grown significantly in the past few days. Slabs now exist on many wind-sheltered slopes above about 7500-8000', too.

Cracks shooting out from you and "whumpfing" sounds as the snowpack collapses are red flags that indicate unstable conditions.  Avoid steep slopes if you experience these obvious signs of instability. Triggered slides could be wider than you expect. You could trigger avalanches remotely—from gentler terrain above, below, or to the sides of steep slopes.