Avalanche forecast

Avalanche forecast

Payette Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired last year.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

Highlights

Wet loose avalanches are possible in steep terrain that faces the Sun. If you are seeing rollerballs or point releases, switch aspect or find a lower angle slope out of avalanche paths and far away from overhead hazard.

Triggering a lingering wind slab is becoming unlikely. Continue good travel protocols, especially near cornices and on steep East through North terrain.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Temperatures are forecasted to climb above freezing in the mountains which with full Sun it will be possible to get the upper snowpack moving with you as well as naturally on steep and rocky terrain that faces the Sun. If you are seeing rollerballs on the surface or point releases you can switch to an aspect that faces away from the Sun to avoid this problem. 

    (2/26/2025)

    The sun heated up the snow surface enough on Wednesday to make this cornice fall in the afternoon, SE aspect, Poison drainage.

    Photo: George Halcom

  • Wind Slabs

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

    While triggering a wind slab is becoming unlikely, you should still exercise caution with excellent travel protocols on Northern aspects that are steep enough to slide, especially those beneath cornices where wind loading has occurred in case you find an outlier that has not bonded well. Almost 48 hours have passed since a significant wind event dominated our area with strong W-SW winds gusting into the 40mph range at times.

    There were natural avalanches observed on mainly NE aspects below corniced ridgelines from wind loading as well as numerous reports of trees falling down. Lingering wind slab potential is dwindling and will likely not be a problem much longer as melt freeze daytime regimes help stabilize wind slabs. 

    (2/26/2025)

    Natural wind slab avalanche below the cornice that fell also above Poison Lake 

    Photo: George Halcom

Avalanche Discussion

Below 7400' there is only around an inch of soft snow on top of a crust and or crust combination that supports travel on skis and machines. Above 7400' you could find enough new snow to have fun on, especially on slopes facing away from the Sun.

Even though the Stability within the upper snowpack is good right now with some layers moderately bonded giving moderate to hard results in stability tests. It would still be great practice to travel one at a time on steep slopes that tilt to the North. As the week progresses, we will see further improvement in stability within the upper snowpack from the swings in temps through the day and night.

Daytime warming along with the Sun will warm up the snowpack gradually through the remainder of the week and create wet loose avalanches that should remain small, D-1, but there is potential in big terrain, especially later in the day for these avalanches pick up snow to be big enough, D2, to injure or bury you. Slide over to a slope that faces away from the sun or choose a lower angle slope if you are seeing wet loose avalanches or rollerballs peeling off of the surface!

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