Soldier & Wood River Valley Mtns

Generally stable avalanche conditions exist, and large avalanches are unlikely. Be on the lookout for small, fresh wind drifts at upper elevations—especially in the Soldier Mtns. It would take a dose of bad luck, but there's a lingering chance of triggering a large slide in very steep, rocky, wind-affected terrain. 

Generally stable conditions exist, but there are a couple of things to keep in mind when traveling in this zone:

• Fresh wind slabs: Soldier Mountain Cat Ski guides were able to ski release 4-8" thick wind slabs in very steep, upper elevation terrain this weekend. While small and isolated, any wind slabs you encounter could be enough to knock you off your feet or machine. Watch for drifting and changes in the surface snow texture to help you identify recent drifts. If the snow surface gets stiff and supportable or you see cracks shooting out from your boards or skis, stick to gentle terrain.
• Weak snow near the ground: Weak, sugary snow exists at the base of the snowpack on shaded NW-N-NE-E facing slopes above about 8000'. It would take a dose of very bad luck to trigger a 2-5 foot thick slide on this layer, but the consequences would be severe. You're most likely to find both ingredients for a large persistent slab avalanche—the old October snow and a thick, dense slab above it—in the western part of this zone (Soldier Mtns and near Dollarhide Summit). If you're traveling in upper elevations in these areas or near the border of this zone, it's worth reading the Persistent Slab Problem discussion in the Galena Summit & Eastern Mtns zone forecast. 
• Faceted loose snow: Yesterday, in the Warm Springs drainage, a skier triggered a small loose snow avalanche in very steep terrain. The skier was knocked off their feet and lost some of their equipment. Deep temperature inversions over the past few weeks have significantly weakened the snowpack at lower elevations, resulting in a snowpack that somewhat resembles a pile of sand. If you are playing in this terrain, you may be able to trigger small, loose snow avalanches that can knock you off your feet and carry you down the slope.