Soldier & Wood River Valley Mtns

Large avalanches are possible in upper elevation terrain where the wind formed drifts or slabs on top of old snow that fell in November. Rain could trigger smaller wet avalanches in this terrain. Avalanches are unlikely where new or wind-drifted snow fell on bare ground. Read the Forecast Discussion below for details on where old snow exists and where large avalanches are most likely in this zone. 

We will begin issuing daily Avalanche Forecasts with Danger Ratings in this zone when snow cover allows for reasonable backcountry recreational access. 

Dry snow avalanche concerns: In this zone, shady slopes (NW-N-NE-E aspects) above about 8500 ft, and especially near and above 9000 ft, retained November snow. Recent wind + snowfall formed slabs in the same terrain, and today's weather should make slabs thicker and more widespread. If you are willing to put in the work to get to upper elevation terrain, you could find the slab + weak layer setup needed to trigger an avalanche. 

• The slab: You're most likely to find slabs in wind loaded terrain. Be on the lookout for stiff, smooth pillows of snow on the more sheltered sides of ridgelines and large terrain features.  
• The weak layer: You can use your boots, hands, or poles to quickly check for "old snow"—crusts and / or weak, sugary facets—beneath the more recent storm or wind-driven snow. 

Cracks shooting out from you and "whumpfing" sounds as the snowpack collapses are red flags that indicate unstable conditions.  Avoid steep slopes if you experience these obvious signs of instability. Triggered slides could be wider than you expect. You may be able to trigger avalanches remotely—from gentler terrain above, below, or to the sides of steep slopes.

Wet snow avalanche concerns: Rain may fall as high as 9000' tonight. Where steady rain falls on more than a few inches of recent storm snow, natural or human triggered wet loose avalanches are possible.  

Where in this zone are you most likely to find trouble: Slopes facing the northern half of the compass at upper elevations on Bald Mountain, in the Soldier Mountains, near Dollarhide Summit, and near the border of the Galena Summit & Eastern Mountains zone are most likely to harbor both old snow (weak layers) and wind-drifted snow (slabs). Elevated rain levels could create wet loose avalanche issues in these same areas. Read the Galena Summit & Eastern Mountains zone forecast for more information.

Some general early season information:

• Conditions can worsen or improve dramatically as you change aspects or move up or down in elevation.
• Sizable avalanches are unlikely where recent storm snow fell on bare ground, even where the wind formed drifts and slabs.
• Recognize that even small slides can have big consequences when the snowpack is so thin. 
• You can view photos of terrain taken on Nov 25th, to get a sense of where the old snow, and possibly crusts, exist.