Bollettino valanghe

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Sawtooth Avalanche Center
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Pericolo valanghe

Tue
Alta quota
2 · Moderato
Limite del bosco
2 · Moderato
Sotto il limite
1 · Debole
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Non aggiornato — questo bollettino è scaduto 8 months ago. Stai vedendo condizioni passate, non il bollettino in corso.

In sintesi

Your odds of triggering a slide increase as you climb through middle elevations on slopes that face away from the afternoon sun. Triggering a large avalanche is most likely in wind-affected terrain but remains possible in more sheltered areas.

Problemi valanghivi

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alta quota
    • Limite del bosco
    • Sotto il limite del bosco
    Probabilità
    Possible
    Dimensione
    1.5–2.5

    You're most likely to trigger a large, 1-3 foot thick avalanche where a dense slab rests above weak, faceted snow and crusts. Last week's observed avalanche activity focused on N-NE-E-SE facing slopes at middle and upper elevations (near and above about 8500' in this zone). Many slopes in these areas have both thick slabs and suspect crust + facet combinations.

    You can use your boots, hands, or poles to quickly check for "old snow"—crusts and/or weak, grey, sugary facets—beneath a dense slab. Steep slopes with a > 1 foot thick slab above "old snow" are the most likely places to find trouble. While slabs are larger and more widespread in obviously wind-loaded terrain, triggering an avalanche is also possible on more sheltered slopes. 

    Cracks shooting out from you and "whumpfing" sounds as the snowpack collapses are red flags that indicate unstable conditions. If you experience these obvious signs of instability, avoid steep slopes with similar appearances, aspects, elevations, and snowpack depths. You may be able to trigger avalanches remotely—from gentler terrain above, below, or to the sides of steep slopes.

    (12/11/2025) These large avalanches released between 8,500-8,900' on NE and E aspects near Copper Mountain.

Avalanche Discussion

Snowpack depths vary dramatically from drainage to drainage, as you climb in elevation, and as you change aspect (move to slopes that face different directions). Triggering avalanches is unlikely where the snowpack is less than about 1 foot deep. However, slope stability can quickly become questionable as you move into terrain with more snow.

Some slopes have adjusted to the load from last week's storm, but some slopes have not; we're in that transitional period where accurately determining whether individual slopes are safe or not is difficult. Given the uncertainty, picture the consequences of being caught in an avalanche before committing to skiing or riding steep slopes. Being carried through trees or into terrain traps is always bad, and our meager snowcover increases the chances of being injured in even small avalanches. 

Regioni coperte