Avalanche forecast

Avalanche forecast

Payette Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
Out of date — this forecast expired 5 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

The Avalanche Hazard in the West Central Mountains is Moderate today.  Human-triggered avalanches are possible. Almost a foot of new snow over the last few days and gusty winds from around the compass have loaded leeward terrain, creating slabs that may be resting on slick crusts. Use caution in exposed upper elevation, wind-loaded, steep terrain, especially below cornices that may be sensitive to the weight of a person.  Loose-dry avalanches are possible on slopes steeper than 35 degrees where the new snow is likely to move, or sluff with you.  Continue to practice safe travel protocols like exposing only one person at a time to slopes steeper than 30 degrees.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Dry

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

    Steep terrain will challenge the new snow that fell over the last few days to stay put today. New snow is resting on slick Sun crusts on solar aspects. Yesterday, the new snow was naturally peeling off point releases on some steep North aspects. It's possible to get snow moving with you, or sluff on long, sustained slopes steeper than 30 degrees.  The amount of sluffing could require sluff management in exposed terrain where a small bit of sliding snow could push you into rocks, off cliffs, or into terrain traps.

    This dry, loose avalanche problem could easily become wet-loose avalanches if the Sun pops out for just a moment during the latter part of the day as the Storm exits and the Sun and March heat works over the snow surface.

     

    Moderate failures in the upper snowpack, but soft and unconsolidated

  • Wind Slabs

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

    We were able to see plumes of snow yesterday flying off the tops of peaks at times above Deep lake North of McCall. We did not see any signs of natural wind slab avalanche activity, and we noticed evidence of light to barely moderate sculpting of the snow surface on exposed ridges. The direction of the wind has been variable over the last couple of days, and overall the winds have been just strong enough to be a problem. 

    It is possible for shallow fresh slabs to have formed on slick crusts that may challenge bonding, and be sensitive to the weight of a person. Winds have calmed down for now, and slabs should not be a problem in the coming days. Be cautious near exposed ridges, and in upper elevation, steep, leeward terrain, especially Northern aspects below upper ridges and cornices where recent wind slabs have most likely formed.

    If you are hearing hollow sounds or whoomphing, or you are seeing red flags like shooting cracks, or obvious sculpting and drifting be cautious and choose another route or slope. 

    Winds gusted around 20 MPH out of the South and moved snow on exposed upper elevation peaks.

Avalanche Discussion

Wednesday, we got a report of a skier-triggered avalanche on a slick crust just South of Tamarack resort that surprised a local avalanche professional. Here is the observation.

The new snow over the past few days has brought back winter, but the Spring Sun will come out and create we-loose avalanche potential on steep solar aspects. Our new snow is resting on slick crusts, and not bonded well on steep Southern aspects. Below the new snow, the bonding of recent saturated layers is pretty good in most places where the crust wasn't as stout. For now, we are concerned with the new snow, that has formed variable wind slabs and loose avalanche problems.  

We would love to hear from you...If you see or trigger avalanche activity, please take the time to snap a picture and note the approximate elevation and aspect, you can submit an observation on our website. Getting your info helps forecasters and other users get a better picture of the conditions throughout our mountains. If you have trouble using our observations page, please email us at: [email protected] Please be mindful of other users in the mountains, and where you are at. There are closures for motorized travel in and around the local ski areas, in the Lick Creek Canyon,  Granite Mtn, Jug Mountain, and other areas throughout our region.  Check out the Winter Travel Map to find out where you can shred on your sled or moto.  Not all of these areas are signed, it is your responsibility to know where these closures exist.  

***We will issue our last advisory for the season on Saturday, April 10th. We would like to thank everyone for their support and observations, and for staying safe during an especially dangerous winter!