Avalanche forecast

Banner Summit

Sawtooth Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Thu
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Natural and human-triggered wet avalanches will become possible as the frozen snow surface melts and softens. Avoid steep slopes where you are sinking into a wet, mushy snowpack. 

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Today's warmer temperatures and intense sunshine will soften and melt the snow surface on many slopes, making wet avalanches possible as the day progresses. Yesterday, I saw a handful of tiny wet loose avalanches that naturally released in sheltered, rocky alpine terrain. The bigger concern is deeper, gouging wet loose avalanches. If you or your sled are sinking into a wet and sloppy snowpack, find a cooler place to play.  Unsupportable, mushy snow will be common at middle and lower elevations, especially on slopes on the southern 2/3 of the compass: W-NW through S through E-NE. Also, consider limiting the time you spend underneath large, steep, rocky slopes that directly face the sun.

    ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION - WET SLABS:  Yesterday, Ben and local guides experienced significant snowpack collapsing on middle elevation slopes on the "margins" of the compass. Ben's collapse was on an east aspect at 9000' in the Soldier Mtns, and the guides' collapse was on an E-NE aspect around 8400' near the Warm Springs Ck-Baker Ck divide in the Smoky Mtns. Both collapses occurred in a wet, sloppy snowpack less than 3 feet deep as the surface crusts were melting and softening.

    These observations tell us we should not fully trust the wet, transitional snowpack. On Sunday, a sizable wet slab was triggered by a wet loose avalanche from above near Galena Summit (photos and report). Large wet slab avalanches are not likely, but they are nearly impossible to accurately predict on individual slopes. You can tip the scales in your favor by staying off of steep slopes with wet, soggy snow, especially during the heat of the day. 

    (4/5/2021) Debris from a skier-triggered wet loose avalanche on Senate Peak from 4/4/2021.

Avalanche Discussion

National Walking Day, National Beer Day, and Wet Slabs? 

April 7th is both National Walking Day and National Beer Day. You're probably thinking that's an odd pairing—you're right—and wondering what the heck this has to do with avalanches—good question! The answer to this riddle is simple; it's all about timing.

Today will be a great day to go for a walk in the mountains (sorry sledders, National Snowmobile Day is in January) BEFORE the heat and sunshine turn the snowpack into a hot mess. Once the surface crusts no longer support you and you're falling into wet mush, it's time to hightail it over to cooler, more frozen slopes or get out of the mountains entirely. With morning temperatures beginning about 5-10 degrees F warmer than yesterday and hotter temperatures expected this afternoon, the window for solid travel conditions may not last long on sunnier aspects at lower and middle elevations. The poor travel conditions will strongly correlate to increasing wet loose and wet slab avalanche concerns. If you're struggling to keep your skis near the surface, the threat of significant wet avalanches is real. 

Once the decent travel window closes and the wet avalanche hazard increases, conditions will be prime to celebrate National Beer Day by lounging in the sun and quaffing your favorite malted beverage (beer, root beer, and ginger beer are all excellent choices). As temperatures climb this afternoon and walking conditions deteriorate, quaffing conditions will shine. When choosing your quaffing location, make sure you're not underneath large avalanche paths that directly face the sun; wet avalanches release naturally far more frequently than dry avalanches. 

There's a time and a place for just about everything. Today, your timing is key. 

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