Avalanche forecast

Galena Summit & Eastern Mtns

Sawtooth Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Alpine
4 · High
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Substantial new snow and wind has created touchy avalanche conditions at upper elevations. To avoid avalanches, be on the lookout for shooting cracks and "upside down" snow as an indicator to move to mellower terrain or areas with less new snow. In the drier eastern half of this zone, you still may be able to trigger large avalanches involving all the snow that fell in February - there, focus on Avalanche Problem #2.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    1–2

    Strong overnight winds coupled with 10+ inches of snowfall formed wind slabs up to 2 feet thick. Expect to find these slabs in open terrain, near ridgelines, in cross-loaded gullies, and on steep aprons below cliffs at middle and upper elevations. Alpine terrain received higher snowfall amounts and stronger winds, making these area the most dangerous today.

    Cracks shooting out from your sled or boards are a clear sign you've found a slab and should dial back your terrain choices. Natural loose snow sluffs or cornice fall could also trigger slab avalanches; minimize the time you spend in the runouts of large avalanche paths. On some slopes, crusts and / or weak snow exist beneath the new snow, meaning that avalanches could be easy to trigger and may break wider than you expect.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2–2.5

    Slabs that formed in early February rest above a variety of ugly, widespread, weak layers (facets, surface hoar, crusts, and combinations). Before triggering an avalanche, you're unlikely to experience obvious signs of instability like snowpack cracking and collapsing or whumpfing. Persistent Slabs can release in surprising ways and break much wider than expected. You are most likely to trigger a dense, 2-4 foot thick avalanche where:

    • The snowpack is less than about 4 feet thick—relatively shallower spots may exist where the wind frequently blows, and the slab is not uniformly thick.
    • Any part of the slope you are on or connected to is steeper than about 35 degrees
    • The slope faces the northern 2/3 of the compass
    • A smaller wind slab or loose snow avalanche overloads the buried weak layers

    Persistent Slab avalanches are most likely in the thinner snowpacks of the Pioneer and Boulder Mtns in the eastern part of this zone. 

    (2/18/2025) A skier on Patterson Pk near Hailey triggered this large avalanche. After several turns on the slope, the slide broke above and around them. Thankfully, the skier was able to ski ahead and to the side of the slab. NW @ 8,050'. Photo: Sawtooth Avalanche Center

Avalanche Discussion

In more sheltered terrain, storm slab avalanches are possible. These avalanches are most likely on very steep slopes where a lot of new snow fell. Pay attention to new snow that feels "upside down", stiffer on top and softer below. Snowpack cracking is a great indicator that you've found a slab and need to be careful in steep terrain.

Today's muted or unobstructed sunshine could quickly heat the snow surface, causing loose snow avalanches (sluffs) to release on their own. These slides are also most likely on slopes steeper than about 35 degrees. Most sluffs will be relatively small, but some could gouge down into a damp snowpack, flank out as slabs, and even become large enough to break trees.

Regions covered