Soldier & Wood River Valley Mtns

Avalanches are possible above about 7500' in the western and northern regions of this zone. You can minimize the odds of finding trouble by avoiding very steep, wind-affected, rocky slopes with variable snow depths as well as slopes with wet or mushy snow.

We will begin issuing daily Avalanche Forecasts with Danger Ratings when snow cover allows for reasonable backcountry recreational access. 

A snowpack exists on many slopes above about 7500' near the Coyote and Tornak huts (photo); in the Warm Springs Ck drainage, including out of bounds on Bald Mountain (video); in the mountains north of Ketchum; and in the Soldier Mtns. If you're traveling in these areas, refer to the Galena Summit & Eastern Mtns forecast.

Much of the terrain in this zone was snow free until the holiday storm cycle. Access and travel are challenging at best in many standard recreational play areas due to thin or non-existent snow cover. Access and travel conditions will worsen during the ongoing warm and sunny spell.

Dry slab avalanches: The deeper snowpacks in the higher elevation terrain in the northern and western edges of this zone probably resemble the snowpack in the southwestern part of the Galena Summit & Eastern Mtns zone. In these areas, many steep slopes that face away from the afternoon sun (NW-N-NE-E-SE aspects) near and above 7500 ft harbor crusts and weak, sugary, faceted snow below a dense, thick slab. Triggering avalanches is not off the table on slopes with obvious wind-loading or stiff snow at the surface. Cracks shooting out from you and "whumpfing" sounds as the snowpack collapses are red flags that indicate unstable conditions. Any triggered slides could be wider than you expect. 

Sun-driven loose snow avalanches:  Any extended periods of unobscured sunshine and light wind will increase the threat of loose snow avalanches releasing on their own. These slides often initiate near the base of trees and rocks, gathering snow and growing in size as they move downhill. While generally small, these slides could knock you over or push you where you don't want to go.