Avalanche forecast

Sawtooth & Western Smoky Mtns

Sawtooth Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired 6 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Due to warm overnight temperatures and potential valley rain today, wet snow avalanches may be possible on some lower and middle elevation slopes. Avoid steep slopes where you find wet, slushy, or mushy snow conditions. By this afternoon, new snowfall combined with southerly winds might create small, fresh wind drifts in exposed, upper elevation terrain. 

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Who enjoys their snowpack with a helping of water? Not I, and probably not you either. Very warm temperatures and sunshine over the past several days have produced melting of the snowpack surface at lower elevations and on all sunny slopes. As a result, a number of small wet slides occurred over the past several days throughout the forecast area.

    Overnight, most lower and middle elevation locations didn't get below freezing—meaning that the snowpack will be starting off wet this morning. Adding insult to injury is the possibility of light valley rain showers today. While my job of explaining this problem is challenging, your job is easy: avoid steep slopes where you find wet snow conditions. This may range from slushy and saturated on slopes that have undergone melt-freeze cycles in the past few days, to moist and sticky on some middle elevation slopes that are getting wet for the first time.

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    By this afternoon, 3-5 inches of new snow combined with gusty winds could produce small, fresh wind drifts at upper elevations. These will form on a grab bag of old snow surfaces—so you may find that some wind drifts are well-bonded while others are reactive to your weight. Watch for areas of fresh drifting along higher ridges and wind-exposed slopes. If you find that these are cracking under your weight, avoid steep slopes where you find recently-formed drifts.

Avalanche Discussion

The avalanche conditions today are a bit like my finances—it seems like there's a lot going on but it doesn't amount to much in the bottom line. New snow, warming temperatures, wind, rain, falling temperatures—we may see it all today. While we're not expecting widespread dangerous avalanche conditions, it'll still be a good day to keep your wits about you. You're likely to experience different snowpack conditions both over the course of the day, and as you move to different aspects and elevations. Most of what you need to know today can be observed by monitoring the snow conditions beneath your feet and sled:

  • Wet, slushy snow (think 7-11 slurpy): This is indicative of areas that have seen previous melt cycles due to warming and sunshine. The greater the depth of slushy snow at the surface, the more likely it is you could trigger a wet loose avalanche. How far are you sinking on your skis or sled? How far down can you poke your pole, or how deep does your track sink if you blip the throttle?
  • Moist, sticky snow: This likely points to recently dry snow becoming wet for the first time. You're more likely to find this on E and W aspects as you climb in elevation. Pinwheels or rollerballs releasing beneath you indicate the possibility of triggering a wet sluff.
  • Wind-drifted snow: As snow accumulates during the day and gets transported by the forecasted moderate winds, you're likely to encounter fresh drifts and slabs in exposed terrain and along ridgelines. If you push on these with your skis or sled, do you get any cracking?
  • New snowfall sitting on old, dry snow: If you encounter this condition on wind-sheltered middle or upper elevation slopes, you've likely found some good, reasonably safe skiing and riding conditions. Enjoy!

Regions covered