Bollettino valanghe

Selkirk Mountains

Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center
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Pericolo valanghe

Sun
Alta quota
2 · Moderato
Limite del bosco
2 · Moderato
Sotto il limite
1 · Debole
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Non aggiornato — questo bollettino è scaduto 6 months ago. Stai vedendo condizioni passate, non il bollettino in corso.

In sintesi

Incoming weather will introduce small changes to the snowpack, but it won’t be enough to drive a significant increase in the overall hazard. Be on the lookout for new drifting at upper elevations near ridgelines as wind speeds increase. Persistent weak layers sitting several feet below a dense slab are becoming more difficult to trigger, but warrant careful terrain evaluation in places where the snowpack is shallower, such as around rocky outcrops and solar aspects.

Problemi valanghivi

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alta quota
    • Limite del bosco
    • Sotto il limite del bosco
    Probabilità
    Possible
    Dimensione
    2–2.5

    A 2 to 3 foot thick cohesive slab overlies two buried surface hoar layers. One formed at the end of January (1/28) and another from mid-February (Valentine’s Day, 2/14). These weak layers are now buried 2 to 4 feet below the surface. Since the February storms, the overlying snow has stiffened and settled into a harder slab due to wind, warmer temperatures, and natural settlement. As the slab has strengthened, the likelihood of human-triggered avalanches has decreased. 

    Avalanche activity on these layers peaked during the second half of February but gradually declined as the slab above them became stronger and more resistant to failure. While we are not completely out of the woods with these persistent instabilities, the buried interfaces are becoming less reactive and less of a primary concern.

    Obvious signs of instability, such as audible collapses, shooting cracks, or recent natural avalanches, are now less frequent but should still be considered ‘Red flags’. However, the potential consequences remain significant if one of these persistent weak layers is triggered. Areas with a thinner or more variable snowpack, such as rocky terrain or shallow spots connected to steeper slopes, may still act as trigger points. Avoid these thin areas and give them extra margin when traveling in avalanche terrain.

    Annotated photo showing the depths of our primary weak layers of concern - two surface hoar layers  (4 to 6 mm in size). They now sit below a mostly pencil hard slab around the slope-specific tree line. Selkirk Mountains. March 5, 2026.

    Photo: Chris Bilbrey

Avalanche Discussion

A shift in the weather is on the horizon, with light rain, warm temperatures, and strong winds moving into the region on Saturday. While this mélange of conditions isn’t enough to change the overall danger rating, it will implement small changes to the snowpack. Here are some things to look out for while moving through the different elevation bands:

Temperatures will peak in the low 40s Fahrenheit under cloudy skies. This warm-up will drive the snowline above 7,500 feet, delivering light rain to all but the highest peaks. Lookout for signs of unsupportable snow, like snow easily sheeting under your skis on steep slopes, or sinking near the top of your boot in moist snow. These are signals that wet snow problems are developing, and should direct you to lower angle terrain or aspects with a more supportable surface.

In the upper elevation band, isolated pockets of Wind Slabs may form as wind speeds increase throughout the day. The timing of rain and warm temperatures may limit the amount of snow available for transport, but terrain below ridgelines and features like convex rollovers or pillows should be carefully assessed before committing to a slope. Be on the lookout for clues like a wind-affected textured surface or a density change from soft to firm and stiff.

Finally, we can’t forget about the persistent weak layers buried several feet deep in the snowpack. With a stiffening, hard slab above, these layers are becoming more difficult to trigger by the day. Feedback from the snowpack continues to decrease as well, and there will likely be no signs of instability before a large avalanche is triggered. While digging in the snowpack to observe if layers of buried surface hoar are present is a great way to try and help manage this problem, spatial distribution is also playing a role in complicating the matter. In addition to observing the snowpack structure, avoiding places where the snowpack is thinner and the weak layers are closer to the surface could help avoid awakening the persistent grains.

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