Avalanche forecast

Selkirk Mountains

Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

You may be able to find some touchy layers of temperature effected snow at the higher elevations on easterly aspects today.  This layering lies over a much firmer crust and it may become weaker if it gains much sun today.  North aspects did not have the crust and the recent new snow was deep and light and gaining density with depth.  South aspects showed a firm crust with a few inches of new snow over the top.  Conditions were better slightly below ridgeline elevation where the sun had not effected it.  Generally safe conditions out there with the one minor concern on east aspects.

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5

    I'm going to call this a storm slab weak layer since it was a weak layer in the storm snow from Friday and Saturday and then it was warmed by the sun or just warm temperatures to create a firmer slab over the light, dry snow.  We found this most pronounced on an east aspect at 5,400 feet in the Cabinets yesterday.  It didn't change our tour any but it did have me thinking about higher elevations and steeper terrain where you could trigger a small slide on this weak layer and get enough snow moving to knock you down.  Also, if this layer received enough sun it could release in a wet slide.  This is not likely to propagate into a big slide and it would most likely only  pull out the snow that you affected with your tracks.  

Avalanche Discussion

Sage Gerber, a Selkirk Powder guide, and I went into the Cabinets via Trestle Creek yesterday to get into the Baloney Bowl.  We found light, dry snow on the northerly slopes on our way up.  South slopes were crusted over with an inch of new snow from Sunday night.  The more west facing we got the less snow over the top of the crust.  We favored the NW aspect off the top and dropped into some nice turns back to the sleds.  Our pit on a west aspect showed about 4-6 inches of sun effected snow over the crust with a good bond to the crust.  As we headed out on the sleds we checked an east aspect where we found the sun effected snow was deeper and not bonded as well to the crust.   You can see the depth of the slab in the previous picture.  This got us thinking about due north.  So, we motored up to Lunch Peak and dove onto a north aspect and found nothing but pure, deep powder.  Very light, deep, and gaining density with depth.  We could not find any weak layers in the 2 feet of snow over the crust.  We were wishing we had skied there.  The  take home message is, the sun has not effected the north aspects yet so if you want deep powder, get it while its cold.  That may change in the near future.

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