Avalanche forecast

Galena Summit & Eastern Mtns

Sawtooth Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 6 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Yesterday's 2-4 inches of new snow and wind formed isolated wind drifts in exposed, upper elevation terrain. These will be small in size but could be reactive to your weight. With sunshine today, small sluffs involving the new snow will be possible on steep, southerly-facing slopes.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    The 2-4 inches of new snow that fell in this zone yesterday was blown into isolated wind drifts at upper elevations. These should be small and soft—somewhere in the neighborhood of 6-12 inches thick. These fresh wind slabs formed on a grab bag of old snow surfaces—so you may find that some are well-bonded while others are reactive to your weight. Watch for areas of fresh drifting along higher ridges and wind-exposed slopes—they'll be easily identifiable as places where you're seeing more than 2-4 inches of new snow. If you find that these wind slabs are cracking under your weight, avoid steep slopes where you find fresh drifting.

    ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION:When the sun pokes out today, the new snow may come unglued from underlying crusts resulting in small loose snow sluffs on very steep, southerly-facing slopes.  In general, these should be low-drama events, but something approaching a real avalanche in size may be possible on larger slopes and terrain features.

Avalanche Discussion

Like your superficial friend, today's problems are only skin-deep and digging further won't reveal much of interest. Instabilities are related to yesterday's storm and will be relatively straightforward to identify and manage. No shovel, snowpit, or fancy snowpack test required. The best tool in your toolbox will be an awareness of how the snow looks and feels beneath you, and how the snow changes with aspect and elevation. Here's what to look for:

  • Wind-drifted snow: You're most likely to encounter fresh wind slabs in exposed terrain and along high ridgelines. These will be easily identified by a drifted appearance and where you're finding more new snow than on sheltered slopes. If you push on these with your skis or sled, do you get any cracking?
  • New snow sitting on frozen crusts: Most mid to upper elevation slopes that face the sun were wet earlier this week and froze prior to yesterday's snowfall. These areas may provide enjoyable "dust on crust" conditions, but watch for sluffing to occur if and when the sun pokes out today.
  • Wet, slushy snow (think 7-11 slurpy): Freezing temperatures overnight and reasonably cool weather today will make this situation less common than in days past. Still, keep an eye out for deep, slushy snow—especially at lower elevations this afternoon. How far down can you poke your pole, or how deep does your track sink if you blip the throttle?
  • New snowfall sitting on old, dry snow: If you encounter this condition on wind-sheltered middle or upper elevation slopes, you've likely found some good, reasonably safe skiing and riding conditions. Enjoy!

Final Note: The weak layers of snow near the ground in this zone haven't gone away, but a lack of recent snowfall has allowed them to go into a state of "dormancy". The White Cloud Mountains are where this problem remains at its worst.

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