Bollettino valanghe

Sawtooth & Western Smoky Mtns

Sawtooth Avalanche Center
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Pericolo valanghe

Fri
Alta quota
2 · Moderato
Limite del bosco
2 · Moderato
Sotto il limite
1 · Debole
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Non aggiornato — questo bollettino è scaduto 6 months ago. Stai vedendo condizioni passate, non il bollettino in corso.

In sintesi

Triggering large avalanches is possible, especially on steep slopes where a wind-stiffened slab rests above weak old snow. Warm temperatures and sunshine will destabilize surface snow on slopes facing the sun throughout the day. Aiming for sheltered locations with soft, cold snow is your best bet to avoid avalanches today.

Problemi valanghivi

  • Loose Wet

    • Alta quota
    • Limite del bosco
    • Sotto il limite del bosco
    Probabilità
    Possible
    Dimensione
    1–2

    Clear skies, calm winds, and temperatures climbing to near-freezing will rapidly destabilize soft recent storm snow on slopes facing the sun today. Look for natural pinwheels and rollerballs below cliffs or rock outcrops and feel for moist, sticky snow as indicators that the surface is heating up and that you should move to colder slopes.

    Although most wet loose avalanches are expected to be small today, think about where even a small avalanche might push you if you were caught and avoid traveling over terrain traps if you notice the snow surface becoming unsupportable. Triggering a large wet-loose avalanche is possible where the upper 6-12 inches of snowpack becomes unsupportable from heat.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alta quota
    • Limite del bosco
    • Sotto il limite del bosco
    Probabilità
    Unlikely
    Dimensione
    1–2

    Sunday’s storm snow fell on various weak surfaces (facets, crust + facet combos, and isolated surface hoar) developed during a month-long drought. Triggering a large persistent slab avalanche is possible, as evidenced by recent observations of natural and human-triggered slab avalanches. You're most likely to find trouble in recently wind-drifted terrain. Assume that weak faceted layers exist beneath the storm snow on NW-N-NE-E aspects at middle and upper elevations, increasing the chances of triggering a slide.

    Snowpack cracking and collapsing or whumpfing are clear signs of unstable conditions. However, a lack of these obvious warning signs doesn't mean you're in the clear. Persistent Slabs can release in surprising ways, break wider than expected, and  be remotely triggered by releasing above, from the side, or from flat terrain near steep slopes. Your best way to play it safe today is by avoiding steep slopes facing the shady side of the compass where you suspect or feel a slab has formed.

    Additional Discussion - Wind Slab: Sunday's storm also came in with wind that built 1-3 foot thick slabs in upper elevation and alpine terrain. Pay attention to the snow you are traveling through; if it is becoming denser or deeper, you are probably moving through a wind slab. They can feel hollow or drum-like, which indicates that they are sitting atop weaker snow and should be avoided when on a steep slope. You can dramatically decrease the chances of finding trouble by avoiding steep, wind-loaded slopes.

    (2/10/2026)

    Slab avalanches on McDonald Pk in the southern Sawtooth Mountains. There are crowns under the cornices at the top of the photo, as well as under the cliffs. E and SE aspects 9,500-9,700'.

    Photo: Sawtooth Avalanche Center

Avalanche Discussion

Recent avalanche activity indicates that the most dangerous avalanche conditions are where wind-stiffened slabs are resting on top of weak, sugary, faceted snow. This overlap is most pronounced around the middle/upper elevation transition on NW-N-NE-E slopes. These are the locations that harbored the best lingering snow before the storm, and are the places to be the most heads-up right now. The challenge of navigating whether a slope is sketchy or safe lies in the fact that the character of the snow below the fresh slabs can change dramatically as you move a little bit up or down in elevation and to slightly sunnier or shadier aspects. Don't let your guard down if you're skiing and riding on slopes just below the obvious "wind zone."

Considering sunny aspects, expect wet-loose activity to turn on today with the forecasted clear skies, warm temperatures, and calm winds. There is plenty of unconsolidated snow on south- and west-facing slopes to moisten and move downhill with a little nudge of heat. Thankfully, these wet avalanches can only gouge down to the stout high-pressure crusts below Sunday's storm snow for now, which limits their potential size.

If you're out in the mountains today, please consider submitting an observation (via our website or AvyApp) to help us paint a clearer picture of conditions during this window between storms!

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