Avalanche forecast

Galena Summit & Eastern Mtns

Sawtooth Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Out of date — this forecast expired 8 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Triggering a large avalanche is most likely on steep slopes with weak snow buried beneath recent storm snow. Your odds of triggering a slide increase as you climb in elevation or move to slopes that face away from the afternoon sun. To avoid getting into trouble, stick to lower angle slopes for skiing, sliding, and riding today.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1.5–2.5

    You're most likely to trigger a large avalanche where dense slabs rest above weak, faceted snow and crusts. Observed avalanche activity during our recent storm focused on N-NE-E-SE facing slopes at middle and upper elevations. These areas harbor the weakest crust + facet combinations.

    While obviously wind-loaded terrain is the most dangerous, triggering an avalanche is also possible in steep, wind-sheltered terrain. Warm temperatures during and after the storm helped consolidate the storm snow into a cohesive slab. Use your boots, hands, or poles to quickly check for "old snow"—crusts and/or weak, grey, sugary facets—beneath the more recent storm or wind-packed snow. 

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

    (12/12/2025)

    Quick pit with unstable results on Titus Ridge on a north aspect at 9570 ft. The column failed on weak faceted snow buried on Dec 5.

    Photo: Sawtooth Avalanche Center

Avalanche Discussion

Although it may feel a little like spring in the hills right now, let’s not forget that it’s still December, and we’ve got a pesky Persistent Slab problem lingering under the snow surface. Despite being four days out from the most recent storm, keep in mind that many large avalanches were reported near Galena Summit and in the neighboring Sawtooth & Western Smoky zone in the aftermath of the storm. Avalanches broke multiple feet thick, and some broke widely, spanning multiple terrain features, a hallmark of a Persistent Slab problem. 

Stability will gradually improve as the snowpack adjusts to the recent load, but this process can be slow and variable from slope to slope. Over the past three days, we've observed snowpack collapsing, cracking, and unstable snowpack test scores. Obvious signs of instability like these make it an easy decision to stick to lower-angle terrain and slopes without obvious facets beneath the storm snow. Today, be on the lookout for these same clues and heed their warning by traveling conservatively.

You may also see a variety of small wet loose avalanches while out today. Use these as an indicator to move to colder, more shaded slopes as the sun and warm temperatures cook thin S, SW, and W facing slopes.

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