Bulletin d’avalanche

Soldier & Wood River Valley Mtns

Sawtooth Avalanche Center
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Danger d’avalanche

Wed
Alpin
1 · Faible
Limite forestière
1 · Faible
Sous la limite
1 · Faible
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Périmé — ce bulletin a expiré 2 years ago. Vous consultez des conditions passées, pas le bulletin en cours.

Points saillants

Triggering large avalanches is unlikely—generally stable avalanche conditions exist. Rocky, wind-swept slopes with variable snowpack depths are the most likely areas to find trouble. 

Problèmes avalancheux

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Unlikely
    Taille
    2

    Triggering a large, dense slab avalanche would require a bit of bad luck. Avalanches are easier to trigger in thin spots at the edges of slabs and wind-features. Watch for these proverbial land mines on the northern half of the compass, where the wind frequently blows, and the snowpack depth is variable. Many shady slopes in rocky alpine cirques fit that description. Some visual clues to identify suspect slopes:

    • Stiff or textured surfaces and wind-pillows, evidence the wind has moved snow   
    • Rocks sticking out of the snow, either near or well below ridgelines
    • Terrain where some part of the slope is at least 35 degrees in steepness

    If you do trigger an avalanche, you probably won't observe obvious signs of instability like snowpack collapsing or cracking beforehand. Any triggered avalanches have the potential to break above you. 

    Additional Discussion: You may encounter small, easy-to-trigger, wind slabs at middle and upper elevations, particularly in alpine terrain. Be on the lookout for wind-loaded features near ridgelines and along the sides of cross-loaded gullies. Shooting cracks are a clear indication of wind-transported snow.

Avalanche Discussion

In this zone, we've only confirmed a few avalanches released since the New Year. The mountains in the Wood River drainages have a thin, weak, and generally stable snowpack; most slopes lack a slab. In the western part of this zone, snow depths—and the chance of triggering an avalanche—are greater. Today's winds could create small drifts over this thin, weak snowpack, and while these avalanches may not be huge, they could break wider than expected and pack a punch. 

When you're playing in avalanche terrain, you can always stack the odds in your favor by avoiding slopes that end in terrain traps like thick trees, cliffs, and creek bottoms. 

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