Bulletin d’avalanche

Soldier & Wood River Valley Mtns

Sawtooth Avalanche Center
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Danger d’avalanche

Sat
Alpin
1 · Faible
Limite forestière
1 · Faible
Sous la limite
1 · Faible
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Périmé — ce bulletin a expiré 4 years ago. Vous consultez des conditions passées, pas le bulletin en cours.

Points saillants

Large avalanches are unlikely, but you could trigger small avalanches on steep slopes with recently wind-drifted snow. These small wind slab avalanches are most likely in the western portion of this zone (Dollarhide to the Soldier Mtns). Small wet loose avalanches are possible on very steep, rocky slopes receiving prolonged direct sun. 

Problèmes avalancheux

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Unlikely
    Taille
    1–1.5

    You're most likely to encounter a wind slab in the western half of this zone from Dollarhide Summit to the Soldier Mountains. Look for drifts of windblown snow near ridgelines and on the sides of cross-loaded gullies and chutes. These will be most common at upper elevations but you may find some slabs at middle elevations as well.

    These slabs are likely to be less than a foot thick. Some of them formed on slick, icy crusts and small facets. This means they may be easy to trigger, break wider than expected, and could pick up speed quickly as they travel downslope. They probably won't be large enough to bury you but they could knock you off your feet or your sled and carry you downslope.

    This slab avalanche (observation) was triggered by a skier Wednesday in the W. Smokys. It's a good reminder that even small slides can be consequential if they drag you through trees or push you into a creek bottom. ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION:Wet loose avalanches are possible today where the snowpack turns to mush. These are most likely on very steep slopes that face the sun, especially where the snowpack is less than about 2' thick. Even small wet avalanches are much more powerful than you'd expect (see videos here and here). Pay attention to the terrain above you. Large slopes can produce slides big enough to knock you off your feet and carry you places you don't want to go. 

    (3/8/2022) Drifting snow along the Salt Bowns Rd in the Soldier Mtns. 

Avalanche Discussion

SPRING AVALANCHE PROBLEMS

Today's slab avalanche problem is relatively minor thanks to an overall lack of recent snowfall. The small storms we've seen in the last 10 days trickled about 10" of snow into the western half of this zone (Dollarhide to the Soldier Mtns). Much less snow fell in and around the Wood River Valleys.

Many steep SE-S-SW-W facing slopes are bare, especially in the southern reaches of the zone. More and more slopes are losing snow as the snowpack recedes further into the mountains. We're entering a time of year when wet avalanches will dominate the problem list. Expect stiff, frozen surfaces this morning but know that the sun can quickly turn the snowpack to mush. You can significantly reduce your risk by sticking to cooler snow on more shaded slopes and by starting and ending your day early. 

 

Régions couvertes