Avalanche forecast

Sawtooth & Western Smoky Mtns

Sawtooth Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 8 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Your odds of triggering a slide increase as you climb through middle elevations on slopes that face away from the afternoon sun. Triggering a large avalanche is most likely in wind-affected terrain but remains possible in more sheltered areas.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2–3

    You're most likely to trigger a large, 1-3 foot thick avalanche where a dense slab rests above weak, faceted snow and crusts. Last week's observed avalanche activity focused on N-NE-E-SE facing slopes at middle and upper elevations (near and above about 8500' in this zone). Many slopes in these areas have both thick slabs and suspect crust + facet combinations.

    You can use your boots, hands, or poles to quickly check for "old snow"—crusts and/or weak, grey, sugary facets—beneath a dense slab. Steep slopes with a > 1 foot thick slab above "old snow" are the most likely places to find trouble. While slabs are larger and more widespread in obviously wind-loaded terrain, triggering an avalanche is also possible on more sheltered slopes. 

    Cracks shooting out from you and "whumpfing" sounds as the snowpack collapses are red flags that indicate unstable conditions. If you experience these obvious signs of instability, avoid steep slopes with similar appearances, aspects, elevations, and snowpack depths. You may be able to trigger avalanches remotely—from gentler terrain above, below, or to the sides of steep slopes.

    (12/12/2025) A handful of recent natural avalanches near Vienna Peak. These probably released near the end of last week's storm (estimated: 12/9/2025).

    Photo: Sawtooth Avalanche Center

Avalanche Discussion

Snowpack depths vary dramatically from drainage to drainage, as you climb in elevation, and as you change aspect (move to slopes that face different directions). Triggering avalanches is unlikely where the snowpack is less than about 1 foot deep. However, slope stability can quickly become questionable as you move into terrain with more snow.

Some slopes have adjusted to the load from last week's storm, but some slopes have not; we're in that transitional period where accurately determining whether individual slopes are safe or not is difficult. Given the uncertainty, picture the consequences of being caught in an avalanche before committing to skiing or riding steep slopes. Being carried through trees or into terrain traps is always bad, and our meager snowcover increases the chances of being injured in even small avalanches. 

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