Avalanche forecast

Soldier & Wood River Valley Mtns

Sawtooth Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago.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

Highlights

Triggering large avalanches is unlikely—generally stable avalanche conditions exist. Rocky, wind-swept slopes with variable snowpack depths are the most likely areas to find trouble. 

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    2

    Triggering a large, dense slab avalanche is unlikely but not impossible. Avalanches are easier to trigger in thin spots at the edges of slabs and wind-features. Watch for these proverbial land mines on the northern half of the compass, where the wind frequently blows, and the snowpack depth is variable. Many shady slopes in rocky alpine cirques fit that description. Some visual clues to identify suspect slopes:

    • Wind-pillows and textured surfaces where the wind has moved snow  
    • Rocks sticking out of the snow, either near or well below ridgelines
    • Terrain where some part of the slope is at least 35 degrees in steepness

    If you do trigger an avalanche, you probably won't observe obvious signs of instability like snowpack collapsing or cracking beforehand. Any triggered avalanches have the potential to break above you. 

Avalanche Discussion

Since the New Year, only a few confirmed avalanches released in this zone. The mountains in the Wood River drainages have a thin, weak, and generally stable snowpack; most slopes lack a slab. In the western part of this zone, snow depths—and the chance of triggering an avalanche—are greater.

If you're playing in avalanche terrain, you can stack the odds in your favor by avoiding slopes that end in terrain traps like thick trees, cliffs, and creek bottoms. 

Regions covered