Salmon River Mountains

You guessed it: avalanche conditions remain generally stable. Large avalanches are unlikely, but continue to give terrain under or near cornices a wide buffer. Small loose snow sluffs are possible in very steep terrain sheltered from the wind. As always, practice safe travel habits: make a plan for the day, carry the right gear, and communicate with your group. 

Welcome to February! Over the past week, we've received about 2-4 inches of snowfall (a generous high-end estimate). This is not enough snow to appreciably change the avalanche hazard; however, if you're traveling in the alpine,  be on the lookout for any cracking or collapsing. This small amount of snow now sits atop a thick (around 8-inch) layer of faceted snow from our "Winter Killer" dry spell. Recent snowfall will also begin to weaken, facet, and grow surface hoar as high pressure continues for the entire workweek again.  While we continue to watch woefully for new snow on the horizon, we're also tracking where the worst of the snow has formed and remained preserved, based on factors such as aspect and elevation. For your day in the mountains, once again, practice the following: 

• Minimize your exposure to hazards. As with anything in life, the likelihood of encountering any sort of problem increases the longer you spend time exposed to a given hazard. You are more likely to be involved in a car accident if you drive every day of the year than you are if you only drive once a week. The same is true in the backcountry. 
• Make a solid plan before heading into the backcountry. Where are we traveling today? Is there even enough snow cover to get where we want to go? Can all members of the party ride variable (and I mean VERY variable) snow without injuring ourselves or breaking a sled? A plan helps you anticipate hazards (including avalanches), identify options for the day, and ensure everyone is prepared for an emergency.
• Perform a trailhead gear check. A proper beacon check ensures everyone's transceiver can send and receive a signal. Maybe you could use a brush-up on your beacon skills? Are everyone's radios working and on the right channel? Are airbags armed and in working order?
• Maintain situational awareness. Low danger does not equal complete safety. Identify and avoid other hazards such as large cornices. Warm weather may make these more susceptible to breaking.
• Communicate with your partners. As you travel through the mountains, talk with your partners. Are you seeing what you expected when you made your plan in the morning, or are conditions different from what you anticipated? Do you need to adjust your plan accordingly?

If you're getting out and about in the mountains, drop us an observation HERE.