Avalanche forecast

Soldier & Wood River Valley Mtns

Sawtooth Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 6 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Moderate winds are transporting the new snowfall, building wind drifts in upper elevation terrain. These will become larger and more dangerous as the day progresses. There's a good chance that your weight will trigger one of these slabs—avoid slopes where you find drifted or pillowed snow. Conditions will be most dangerous towards the eastern side of this zone—in the Little Wood Drainage and near Mormon Hill—where more new snow has accumulated and the danger may approach HIGH.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    When the storm tapers off around midday, 6-8 inches of new snow will likely have accumulated since yesterday morning. In the eastern portion of this zone—in the Little Wood Drainage and near Mormon Hill—upwards of a foot of new snow has fallen. This new snow has been blown around by winds from a variety of directions—from the S, SE, SW, and W. As a result, expect to find fresh wind drifts on a variety of aspects at higher elevations and in open, wind-exposed terrain. What's more, some of these wind drifts will be forming on weak, faceted snow surfaces that formed during the recent dry weather, and could be easily triggered by your weight. A skier on Galena Summit yesterday remotely triggered a small wind slab avalanche that released on this touchy old snow surface. These wind slabs will continue to build through the day, and triggering one may produce an avalanche large enough to bury you. 

    After a long period of relatively stable conditions, it's time to get our heads back in the game. Scale back your terrain choices by avoiding steep, upper elevation, wind-exposed terrain. Be sure to leave your Low danger sunglasses at home, and keep your avalanche eyeballs peeled for obvious signs of instability such as natural slides, cracking of the snowpack, and slopes with wind-drifted or pillowed snow. 

    ADDITIONAL DISCUSSIONThe eastern portion of this zone—in the Little Wood Drainage and near Mormon Hill—have received upwards of 12 inches of new snow since yesterday morning. Expect wind slabs to be larger and more dangerous, and it may be possible to trigger slab avalanches involving the storm snow even on wind-sheltered slopes. Use extra caution in this portion of the zone, where the danger may be approaching HIGH.

Avalanche Discussion

Today is the first day in over a month that we have CONSIDERABLE danger in any part of the forecast area. Moderate amounts of new snow, combined with wind, are creating dangerous avalanche conditions—especially in the southeastern portion of the forecast area. I think many of us are ready for some late season powder, but are you ready to get off the bench and be thrown back into the avalanche game? If you're saying "put me in coach", read on.

One of the most important questions to ask when it finally snows after a prolonged dry spell is "what is the snow falling on?" Our current snowpack surface runs the full gamut, but weak surfaces are common—especially on shadier aspects facing NE-N-NW. Last weekend's snowfall has since turned to sugary, near-surface facets. These are now sitting on firm bed surfaces on many slopes or have been added to a full-depth weak snowpack in shallow areas. We have plenty of weak snow, the only missing ingredient for avalanche conditions being a slab. New and windblown snow from the current storm are filling in this blank in our avalanche recipe, and dangerous avalanche conditions are building at upper elevations.

A shifting mindset will be critical to adjust to the changing conditions. Over the past few weeks, we've been able to ski and ride in steep terrain with relatively little risk. That's officially changed. Conditions have become dangerous in many portions of our forecast area, and it will be a good day to start stepping back from the terrain you may have been recreating in. 

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