Avalanche forecast

East Cabinet Mountains

Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Buried surface hoar is present at treeline on north and east aspects 12-18 inches below the surface of the snowpack. It is showing reactivity in isolated locations and is highly variable in sensitivity. Use caution on these aspects in steep terrain, take the time to do a stability test and see if the surface hoar is present and reactive at your location.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    We have been finding buried surface hoar at treeline in sheltered timber that was concerning enough to steer me away from descending a steep line through open timber yesterday. This persistent weak layer is now buried 12-18" deep and generally we are seeing no reaction from it in stability tests. Yesterday I stopped to do a quick test at 6,800' on a north aspect and it resulted in consistent propagation with moderate force. This variance in reactivity make's this layer a bit tricky and concerning, as it is unlikely to be triggered and allows you to get away with quite a bit, until it doesn't. Which may result in triggering an avalanche in steep and open timber. Never a good scenario.

Avalanche Discussion

The warm and wet weather that graced the area on MLK weekend has passed and temperatures in the mountains are finally dropping back down to the freezing mark. This weather scenario is leaving us with a variable crust close to the surface of the snowpack at all elevations. Monday we found a breakable crust below 5,000' with a very saturated snow layer beneath the crust. I anticipate this crust layer will thicken in the coming day's as the temperatures continue to drop. Above this elevation the crust layer became fully supportive with 3-5" of loose and unconsolidated snow on the surface. The crust layer is about 1" thick, which will decrease the likelihood of triggering the buried surface hoar layer. With the variability I saw yesterday however, it's not something I would roll the dice on right now at treeline elevations. We did not see any issues in the new snow on top of this crust layer as it lacked enough cohesion or depth to cause a slab avalanche at our location. We travelled up to 7,000' yesterday and the conditions were more or less "dust on crust" kind of skiing, aside from the buried surface hoar at treeline we have a generally stable snowpack out there. Thanks in part to all the warm air and rain. If you travel above this 7,000' I would stay alert to the potential of finding issues in the storm snow as the rain/snowline fluctuated during the last weather system at the upper edge of the highest peaks in the area. 

 

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