Persistent Slabs
- Alta quota
- Limite del bosco
- Sotto il limite del bosco
- Probabilità
- Likely
- Dimensione
- 1–2
Weak snow is buried 1-2 feet below the surface. Triggering an avalanche large enough to bury a person is likely in steep, sheltered and shaded terrain above 7,500’. Recent snow is stressing weak layers and increasing the likelihood of a rider triggering a large avalanche. Sheltered, northerly-facing slopes harbor the weakest snow and are the most dangerous. You may not see signs of instability like recent avalanches or hear collapsing before triggering a large avalanche. Remotely triggering a large avalanche above you on steep slopes is a real possibility like this example from Togwotee. Evaluate steep avalanche terrain carefully today.
Slopes that are wind-loaded and harbor buried weak layers will be the most dangerous today. These two problems can overlap mostly above 9000 feet on shady and leeward slopes.
This recent avalanche from the Snake River Range is a good example of the persistent slab problem that we are dealing with. Note the wide propagation across slope.
(2/17/2026)