Soldier & Wood River Valley Mtns

Generally stable avalanche conditions exist. There's a lingering chance of triggering a large slide in very steep, rocky, wind-affected terrain. 

There are no well-defined avalanche problems in this zone. This picture is unlikely to change until snow returns to the forecast. In the meantime, here are a couple of potential hazards to keep in mind:

Wind Slabs: Soldier Mountain Cat Ski guides were able to ski release 4-8" thick wind slabs in very steep, upper elevation terrain this weekend. While small and isolated, any wind slabs you encounter could be enough to knock you off your feet or machine. Watch for drifting and changes in the surface snow texture to help you identify recent drifts. If the snow surface gets stiff and supportable or you see cracks shooting out from your boards or skis, stick to gentle terrain.

Persistent Slabs: Weak, sugary faceted snow exists near the base of the snowpack. You'll find it on most upper elevation slopes as well as shadier slopes above about 8,000' in elevation. Triggering an avalanche on this layer is unlikely, but not impossible. You're most likely to find trouble on slopes with the following characteristics: 

• Steep: slopes about 35 degrees and steeper
• Rocky: slopes with variable snow cover due to the roughness of the terrain
• Wind-affected: slopes where strong winds produced variable snow cover

Loose Snow: Earlier this week, a skier was knocked off their feet by a small loose snow avalanche. These slides are most likely on very steep, shady slopes at middle and low elevations. Temperature inversions are faceting the snow surface. Deep layers of faceted snow resemble piles of sand. Once moving, this cohesionless snow can gain speed quickly in very steep terrain.