Avalanche forecast

Selkirk Mountains

Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 7 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Shallow, dense slabs of snow sitting on top of weaker snow and a firm crust will be susceptible to failure from the added weight of a rider or machine. These slabs will be most sensitive on northerly and easterly-facing slopes, where the wind has stiffened the snow and created drifts about 6 inches deep or more. Cracking that extends beyond your skis or board, along with a firmer or textured surface, are clues that these slabs are present and should direct you to sheltered, lower-angle terrain. Continued warming temperatures on Saturday will push the freezing level to near 7000 feet and may provoke small wet snow sluffs in steep, rocky terrain.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Light to moderate southwest winds have actively transported recent snowfall, resulting in newly formed wind drifts at mid and upper elevations. Reactive wind slabs measuring approximately 6–8 inches in thickness are most likely near ridgelines, sub-ridges, and at the upper start zones of gully features. These slabs are sitting on weak snow surfaces that developed during the previous two weeks of dry, clear weather and have since been buried by modest accumulations of new snow over the past couple of days. Route selection that avoids wind-loaded features and favors terrain less than 35 degrees will significantly reduce the likelihood of encountering Wind Slab avalanches.

    Cracking on the snow surface is one sign of instability in new snowfall or in fresh wind drifted areas.  West Cabinet Mountains. 1/28/26.

    Photo: Micah Krmpotich

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    Above freezing temperatures and a rising freezing level will creep up the mountain, reaching close to 6500-7000 feet in the Selkirks and West Cabinets by the end of today. These elevated temperatures will cause the most recent snow to lose cohesion and introduce the possibility for wet sluffs. Although any natural or human triggered Wet Loose avalanche will be small, they have the potential to run farther distances in places where the surface crust is firm and creates a slick sliding plane. If you are recreating around steep slopes, look for signs that this change is occurring, such as rollerballs running downslope or a wet and sticky snow surface. Avoid exposure to runout zones and gullies if you observe natural sluffs gaining in size around cliff bands or steep rocky features.

    Naturally occuring pinwheels and wet punchy snow are both clear indicators that the snow surface is saturated and vulnerable to wet loose avalanche activity on steep slopes.

    Photo: Jackson George

Avalanche Discussion

Following an 18-day dry spell that lasted for the majority of January, the mountains have seen a plethora of changes in the past couple of days- periods of snow, rain, wind, and now increasing freezing levels.

Temperatures on Saturday will be warm and are forecasted to reach the upper 30s F in the northern end of the forecast region and the low 40s F in the southern end. Throughout the day, the freezing level will rise to 6500’-7000’- Potentially exceeding the tallest peaks in the Silver Valley-Bitterroots. Cloud cover will persist during the day, but the above-average temperatures will make the mountains feel like it’s spring (again). This warm-up will introduce the possibility of Wet Loose avalanches on all aspects in steep terrain. Because recent storm totals aren’t very large, these avalanches are expected to be small. However, these slides could run farther distances than expected and could pose a greater consequence if they catch you off guard in complex terrain.

In the wake of new snowfall, field teams this week have set out with the intentions of documenting where the surface hoar that developed during dry January has been preserved. In the Selkirk and Cabinet Mountains, this worrisome weak layer is buried under approximately 6”-8” of new snow, with slabs being closer to 12” in drifted areas at mid and upper elevations. (Obs from 1/30) Snowpack tests show that this developing slab doesn’t have quite enough weight to fully propagate on its own yet, but areas where the wind has transported the snow and created denser slabs will be more sensitive to the added weight of a skier or rider and can more easily produce an avalanche. Because of the nature of these persistent weak grains, these avalanches could break wider than expected and be large, especially if the surface hoar was preserved sitting on a firm crust. No doubt this is a concerning setup.

Field teams in the Silver Valley-Bitterroots (Obs from 1/29) found that less snow and warmer temperatures helped destroy some of this buried surface hoar below tree line. However, the surface hoar was found preserved above 6300’ by a couple of inches of snow. No matter what zone you are recreating in, consider digging several hand pits to try to locate these buried feathers before stepping onto and committing to a steep slope. A thin and distinct grey line below the recent snow indicates that this worrisome setup is present. Cracking in front of your skis or boards is also a clear indicator of avalanche potential.

Make sure to keep your avalanche brain engaged and continue to use good travel habits. If you get out and about, please consider dropping us an observation HERE or through the AvyApp. Something as simple as describing the weather and surface conditions goes a long way to help our forecast products and your local avalanche community. We have received some very helpful public observations recently, and we look forward to more.

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