Avalanche forecast

Soldier & Wood River Valley Mtns

Sawtooth Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Wet snow avalanches are possible, especially where the snowpack is less than a couple of feet thick. If you're sinking into a mushy snowpack, stick to gentler terrain and don't linger under large, steep slopes.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    We've observed countless wet loose avalanches in the last couple of days. Most of these occurred at middle and lower elevations during bouts of rain (Ketchum and north) followed by very warm temperatures on Tuesday and Wednesday.

    Yesterday, we received a great video (below and right) of a wet avalanche on the E face of Della Mountain near Hailey. This terrain exemplifies the exact terrain where wet avalanches are most likely again today—very steep, rocky, middle and lower elevation slopes where the snowpack is less than about 2' thick. 

    I'd expect less natural avalanche activity today, but very warm temperatures, a weak overnight freeze, and periods of hot sun will keep this problem on the table. If you're sinking into slush, it's time to find gentler terrain or cooler slopes to ride. Although I'd expect most of these slides to be relatively small, it's not a good day to linger under steep slopes. Avoid low elevation terrain traps, like creek/river bottoms and gullies, especially in the afternoon.

Avalanche Discussion

The main factors affecting the avalanche danger in the Soldier & Wood River Valley Mtns are sunshine and warm temperatures. As mentioned above, we've observed countless wet loose avalanches in the last couple of days. One observer yesterday reported watching wet avalanches hit the "dog park" near the mouth of Warm Springs (report). This problem will linger until meltwater production slows and the snowpack is allowed to re-freeze. Cooler air will help tomorrow but I'll feel much better when the cold front arrives on Saturday. 

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