Bollettino valanghe

Selkirk Mountains

Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center
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Pericolo valanghe

Sun
Alta quota
3 · Marcato
Limite del bosco
2 · Moderato
Sotto il limite
1 · Debole
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In sintesi

While some slopes may develop a surface crust, a warmer temperature pattern will keep the snowpack from being able to refreeze and lock up. With the amount of rain and meltwater that the snowpack is holding, large avalanches that could fail naturally or by human trigger without obvious signs of instability remain a concern. Avoid exposure to steep, open slopes and reroute to low-angle terrain that’s clear of runout zones if you sink to your boot top in wet snow. 

Problemi valanghivi

  • Wet Slabs

    • Alta quota
    • Limite del bosco
    • Sotto il limite del bosco
    Probabilità
    Likely
    Dimensione
    2–3

    Significant rainfall and continued warm mountain temperatures have added water to the snowpack, saturating snow at all elevations to the ground. A widespread natural avalanche cycle occurred earlier this week in the wake of the atmospheric river that delivered record-breaking rainfall across the region. While we have eclipsed the peak of the natural avalanche cycle and activity has decreased, the likelihood of human-triggered avalanches remains a concern today.

    Due to the combination of rain and meltwater, all middle and upper elevation slopes have liquid pooling at different layers in the snowpack, which is weakening bonds between those different interfaces. A hard surface crust may be present in some upper elevation areas, but instabilities still exist deeper in the snowpack. A series of sustained below-freezing temperatures will be needed in order for the wet snowpack to refreeze and start gaining stability. Until temperatures cool down, the remaining steady avalanche likelihood should influence your travel plans today by creating wide margins around steep slopes.

    (12/11/2025)

    A snowpit from above tree line, revealing that all elevations have a fully saturated snowpack. With the amount of meltwater and rain, we will need a prolonged period of cold temperatures for the snowpack to freeze and lock up.

    December 11, 2025. 

    Photo: Izzy Davis

Avalanche Discussion

With a ridge of high pressure building today, we can officially say, “hasta la vista” to the atmospheric river that has been wreaking havoc on the snowpack- at least for now.

Even though precipitation moves out of the area for the weekend, we are still dealing with the damage in the wake of the rainfall. With the amount of liquid input into the snowpack, we will need a series of below-freezing temperatures in order for all that moisture to refreeze and start locking up the snowpack. After more seasonable cold temperatures move in for an extended period, then the snowpack should start trending in a positive direction towards stability. Until then, wet snow hazards are a concern, and the spring-like snowpack should be approached with caution. 

Don’t let a surface crust fool you into thinking that the snowpack has refrozen yet. Despite a surface freeze, deeper instabilities will linger while meltwater continues to work through the snowpack. Punching through a surface crust into wet snow could be a trigger that evokes a failure into deeper layers that have been weakened by moisture. The timing of wet snow problems is tricky to predict, and we still have a healthy amount of uncertainty. Wet snow-related problems don’t always present classic signs of instability, so plan for extra margins of safety near or below steep slopes to account for the lack of feedback.

Glide cracks aren’t something we typically have on our radar near the winter solstice, but they are starting to pop up across the forecast area, and more may appear in the coming days with warm temperatures. If you encounter a glide crack, stay far away from it and adjust your route so that it doesn’t cross below a crack. Glide avalanches can release at any moment without any warning signs.

The lower elevations have taken a massive hit from the recent rains, and the snow depth has drastically decreased. If you are motivated to reach higher-level terrain in search of deeper snow, then expect to navigate through brush, mud, and spotty patches of snow. 

Regioni coperte