Avalanche forecast

Selkirk Mountains

Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

Recent snow has increased the avalanche danger in the Selkirk and Cabinet Mountains. Dangerous avalanche conditions exist and are going to be compounded by another major storm system showing up this morning. As the storm moves in, natural and human triggered avalanches will be likely. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended.

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

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

    The mountains in the Northern Panhandle have seen a lot of new snow in the past week and should receive significant amounts of new snow this upcoming week. Storm slabs generally get less avalanche prone in the days and weeks after a storm, so give it some time. We expect the new snow to be very avalanche prone during the storm and a couple days after the storm.

    95 cm Height of snow

    20cm of Facets at the bottom

    75cm Fist hardness Soft slab

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Recent winds have been busy transporting snow from SW faces to SE-E-NE-N faces. Expect to see wind slabs and deposited snow on Leeward faces below ridgelines. Windloaded slab avalanches have the ability to travel long distances. Remember that low angle or flat terrain maybe is avalanche terrain if it’s connected to steep slopes above.

    Most of this snow is from the past 2 weeks. Weather forecast show the snow totals from this storm could double the snowpacks height.

Avalanche Discussion

Yesterday, Kevin Davis went up to Lunch Peak in the Cabinets and I went up the Pack River in the Selkirks to get beta.  We both found that the heavier snow from the night before made for challenging snowmobile conditions.

The current snowpack has a dangerous new storm slab and it is going to be stressed even further as this major winter storm rolls through. The snowpack is about 3-4’ deep in most places. The fairly shallow and soft storm slab makes up most of the pack with old snow (basal facets) at the bottom. Wind loaded aspects will be the most avalanche prone slopes because they may have stronger and stiffer wind slabs. Remember: Strong wind slabs can fail as one piece, propagating long distances and traveling far downhill.

Expect the current dangerous avalanche conditions to become very dangerous avalanche conditions throughout today and tonight, especially above tree line. NOAA is forecasting 30-50’’ of snow (depending on location) by Monday night. Weather forecasts show that the storm is expected to favor the Cabinets and Southern Selkirks.

 

**Travel Note: Recent winds have caused a lot of blowdown. We encountered a bunch of new trees across the trails and roads yesterday.**

Regions covered