Bollettino valanghe

Banner Summit

Sawtooth Avalanche Center
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Pericolo valanghe

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Limite del bosco
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Sotto il limite
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Non aggiornato — questo bollettino è scaduto 4 years ago. Stai vedendo condizioni passate, non il bollettino in corso.

In sintesi

Mostly stable avalanche conditions exist, and large avalanches are unlikely. You could trigger thin pockets of windblown snow near ridgelines. Small, human-triggered loose snow avalanches (sluffs) are possible on very steep slopes on the northern half of the compass.

Avalanche Discussion

We're not facing a single, well-defined avalanche problem, but there are a couple of scenarios you should consider before heading into the mountains:

  • Wind Slabs: Today's moderate winds and a couple of inches of new snow may create thin, sensitive slabs in exposed terrain. Some of these overlie weak facets or crusts—especially on SE-S-SW aspects—and may be more sensitive to triggering than you might expect. Wednesday, in the southern Sawtooths near McDonald Pk, Ethan observed a wind slab that stepped down to one of these deeper weak layers (report). You're most likely to encounter these thin slabs at upper elevations. Look for wind-blown snow immediately below exposed ridgelines and on the sides of gullies or chutes. 
  • Loose Snow Avalanches: The upper foot of the snowpack may be weak and faceted on some NW-N-NE-E facing slopes. On very steep slopes approaching 40 degrees, it won't take much to get surficial sluffs moving (photo). These may not be big enough to bury you, but they could knock you over and push you where you don't want to go. 

LOW danger is not an excuse to throw caution to the wind. All of your standard safety protocols still apply. Continue to carry rescue gear, travel one at a time through avalanche terrain, and watch for signs of instability. Remember that small avalanches can have bad outcomes in complex terrain. Before committing to skiing or riding a slope, think about where an avalanche could carry you. Could you get pushed over cliffs, through trees, or into creeks or gullies? Slopes with these terrain traps are inherently more dangerous than open slopes with a clean runout.

You can get caught up on what happened last week with Ben's latest Weekend Update

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