Salmon River Mountains

Generally stable conditions exist, and large avalanches are unlikely. Isolated pockets of wind slabs around 6 inches deep may be lurking above 7,500 feet, just below ridgelines. Expect to find loose snow sluffs in steep terrain, which could become wet this afternoon on south-facing slopes. Continue practicing safe travel habits: make a plan for the day, carry the right gear, and communicate with your group. 

In Idaho, there may be several different ways to call a potato, a potato, but we avalanche forecasters are running out of ways to say, "Low Avalanche Danger".

The mountains picked up around 2-4 inches of light snow since Wednesday, with the West Mountain zone receiving the high end. (You know it's bleak when we're talking about the high end of 2-4 inches of snow). This light snow was not enough to increase the avalanche danger. Yesterday, I traveled to the Grass Mountain area. You can read my observation HERE. I observed some shooting cracks from my skis while walking the leeward side of the high ridgelines. This indicated some wind slabs could be lingering at upper elevation terrain, just beneath ridgelines. As temperatures climb today, expect the snow surface to become moist. Small, wet, loose slides may be on the table this afternoon, especially on south-facing slopes.

As you head out into the mountains, there are a few considerations:

• Loose Snow: Expect to find small, loose sluffs in steep terrain. These will likely be dry on the northern half of the compass and moist-wet on the southern half of the compass. Melt-freeze crusts on solar slopes will give wet, loose slides a firm bed surface. Sluff management is key in exposed steep terrain with traps like cliffs and gullies.
• Wind Slabs: Very shallow pockets of wind slabs may be lurking above 7,500 feet from recent snowfall. These will generally be around 6 inches deep and located just below ridgelines and cornices. Be sure to rule out the possibility of wind slabs before committing to steep, consequential terrain. You can do this using your hand or pole to see if the new snow feels stiff and slabby or soft and loose.
• Safe Travel: These are how we build our margins to keep ourselves safe. George calls them "freebies". Safe travel habits should be employed all the time, regardless of the avalanche danger. Make sure everyone in your group is carrying adequate and functioning rescue gear. Form and agree on a travel plan with all members of your group for the day (which terrain do you want to enter, and which do you want to avoid). Have ways to communicate amongst your group and keep an eye on your partners at all times. Minimize your group's exposure to avalanche hazard by traveling one at a time through steep terrain. Re-group in safe spots, away from runouts and terrain traps. 

If you're getting out and about in the mountains, drop us an observation HERE.