Sawtooth & Western Smoky Mtns

Generally stable conditions exist on slopes that are protected from the wind. There's an outside chance of triggering a large slide on a steep, rocky, wind-affected slope. Use normal caution and continue to adhere to safe travel practices. Even small avalanches can have severe consequences in very steep terrain.

LOW danger does not mean no danger. It’s important not to let your guard down during these times of relative stability and consistent weather. Be alert to changing conditions and continue practicing safe travel techniques: have a plan, carry rescue gear, choose a good partner, and expose only one person at a time to steep terrain. If you choose to enter avalanche terrain today, here are a couple problems that are worth keeping in mind:

Wind Slabs: Watch for areas that are relatively smooth, chalky-looking, or drifted in appearance—these are likely to be wind slabs. Other evidence of the wind's recent work are rippled surfaces and "dunes" of snow found near ridgelines and along the sides of cross-loaded gullies. In the craggy Sawtooth Mtns, slabs commonly form in cirques below large cliff faces and on the aprons of large chutes and couloirs. They are generally small and not likely to be triggered by your weight, but there could be an isolated larger sensitive slab that's sitting atop weak snow. Triggering a slide on buried facets is most likely in rocky, heavily wind-affected areas where the snowpack depth is variable. Use caution around these old wind slabs, especially in consequential terrain where getting knocked off your feet or sled would be a dangerous proposition.

Cornices: Huge cornices guard the tops of many steep slopes. Falling cornices can be great triggers for the wind slabs below them (as seen in this observation). It can be very difficult to tell where a ridgeline stops and where the cornice starts. Cornices are unpredictable and potentially unstable. Give these huge chunks of snow a wide berth and limit the time spent beneath them.

Remember that small slides can have big consequences in complex terrain. Ask yourself, “What would being caught in even a small avalanche look like on this slope?” If the slope is peppered with trees, rocks, cliffs, or ends in a creekbed or a gully, consider choosing more open, gradual terrain.