Avalanche forecast

Selkirk Mountains

Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
4 · High
Treeline
4 · High
Below
3 · Considerable
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Out of date — this forecast expired 6 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

An impressive amount of snow and water weight has been added to the snowpack in the last 48 hours. The new snow and rain have created dangerous avalanche conditions in the Silver Valley and Selkirk / Cabinet forecast zones. The new snow has not only created a new snow problematic layer to the top of the snowpack but has added enough weight to the pack that underlying weaknesses are being stressed to the max. Travel in avalanche terrain today is not advised.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    1–3

    Yesterday, we visited the Cabinet mountains and continue to find the buried surface hoar that has created so many problems since Feb 6th.  I feel like a broken record talking about this layer...but don't let your guard down. The buried surface hoar layer is still alive and well and is easily found about 18'' deep in the snowpack. The picture attached shows what it looks like if your digging for it.  This layer is a problem because it can cause big avalanches that propagate over long distances. Many of the avalanches that have happened as a result of this layer have been triggered from below the slide on lower angle slopes or finding that sweet spot while highmarking the sleds. Runout zones are not a safe place. Be sure to look a vegetation clues from previous avalanche activity to determine true safe places. 

    Buried surface hoar layer

  • Storm Slabs

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

    Lookout pass, Bear mountain, and Schweitzer Snowtel sites show an impressive amount of water (snow or rain depending on elevation) introduced into the snowpack over the past 2 days. The new water creates 2 different problems:

    1. The snow layer itself was deposited on the snow surface with a bunch of wind so that is creating wind slabs. The wind slabs we observed were approximatly 10-12'' deep and could avalanche easily.  I'd expect to see wind slabs on slopes above treeline and on the leeward side of mountains.

    2. The second part of the problem is due to the weight added to the snowpack by the water. It ussually takes a couple of days for the new snow to adhear to the rest of the snowpack after a storm. Until the new snow has time to settle, I'd expect it to stress deep layers in the snowpack. Today, those deeper layers will be especially vulnerable to failures resulting in avalanches.

    New snow- wind slab

  • Wet Slabs

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

    The rain snow line hovered around 4,000-4,500' in the Silver Valley and Selkirk/Cabinet zones. Be aware of wet slab avalanche potential at lower elevations. There was up to 2'' of rain the occured in the past 2 days.

Avalanche Discussion

Today we'll see some snow in the AM, but it'll move out by this evening. Tuesday will be a small break in weather before the next system shows up on Wednesday evening and continue into Friday morning. We could see up to 12'' of snow in that time period. 

An AVALANCHE WARNING has been issued for all of the IPAC forecast zones for the next 24 hours. 

Finally, thank you to POLARIS / TIMBERSLED for keeping us out in the field! Thank you for sponsoring IPAC!

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