Avalanche forecast

A solid freeze with temperatures 28 degrees cooler than yesterday is locking up the springlike saturated snowpack, almost eliminating all chances of an avalanche today.  Triggering an old wind slab, or breaking off a cornice is unlikely but not impossible. Stay safe and have fun in the mountains as a week-long, spring-/winter storm impacts the mountains. Continue safe travel protocols and carry all of your rescue gear. 

Today's advisory is sponsored by OnXBackcountry...Thank You for supporting the Payette Avalanche Center!

This is our last advisory for the season. Our last month has brought more action than the entire winter, even though we got around 45 percent of our season's snowpack in December. On February 28th our snowpack transitioned into a springlike snowpack, we got some propagation in our snowpit tests, a dirt layer, multiple crusts, and a close call when a snowmobile triggered a wind slab avalanche that he was able to ride off of. We had been under a very warm spell that cranked up temps almost 30 degrees and left our snowpack without an overnight freeze until last night when the temps dropped 28 degrees. Friday morning at the Granite Mtn weather station, the 6 am temp was 41 degrees and this morning the 6 am temp was 13 degrees!

Shoveling was difficult yesterday beyond a foot deep, and I bet today with the cooling trend you would want a pickaxe to dig into the dense ice layer that is forming.  A light dusting of snow this afternoon will begin a series of winter storms and cooler temps for the first week that the PAC is shut down for the season.

While the avalanche danger is low today, and our forecasting season is over, keep in mind that Low danger does not mean that there is no danger at all. Winter-like temps and storms are forecasted this week....watch the winds and be careful near ridgelines and in and around cornices where it is not impossible to trigger an old wind slab or break off a cornice that is overhanging.

***Spreading out in steep terrain, exposing only one person at a time to slopes steeper than 30 degrees, and carrying a transceiver, shovel, and probe in your pack are always best practices to keep implementing....stay safe and have fun until the winter of 22/23 when we can serve you again.

We thank You, our sponsors, staff, FPAC, our volunteers, and everyone that loves and supports avalanche forecasting in the West Central Mountains!