Soldier & Wood River Valley Mtns

Generally stable avalanche conditions exist, and large avalanches are unlikely. You may be able to trigger small avalanches at upper elevations where the wind has drifted snow, and loose snow avalanches are possible on very steep slopes. Either of these could be enough to knock you off your skis or sled and take you for a ride. 

While the snowpack is generally stable, it's not "turn your brain off" conditions—there are a few potential concerns to keep in mind. They're not widespread or likely to produce a large avalanche, but could be dangerous in higher consequence terrain.

WIND SLABS: You may find small—but potentially sensitive—wind slabs at upper elevations. Yesterday a skier triggered a wind slab avalanche (crown photo, debris photo) in the Sawtooths & Western Smoky zone. The skier was able to cut off the slab as it released. It broke 10-12" deep and about 50' wide, and likely consisted of wind-drifted snow atop weaker snow that's formed during the prolonged dry spell.

The past 36 hours have been fairly windy—the wind started Friday afternoon from the W  (short video), shifting NW on Saturday, and finally N this morning. Pay close attention to surface texture (waves, ripples) and snow consistency (denser, harder) that may indicate wind-drifted snow. Wind slabs are likely to be small and isolated but could produce an avalanche big enough to pull the rug out from under you and take you for a ride. 

LOOSE SNOW AVALANCHES: Observers have been reporting "sluffy" conditions in very steep (>40 degrees) terrain. The several inches of new snow from earlier this week fell on weakening/faceting snow surfaces or slick crusts, and it's had a tendency to produce small, loose snow avalanches when "disturbed" by a skier or rider. Warming temperatures and sunshine today may be enough to release natural loose snow avalanches on very steep slopes that face the sun.

THE "MONSTER IN THE BASEMENT": Weak, faceted snow exists near the base of the snowpack on mid and upper elevation shady slopes. Triggering a persistent slab avalanche on this layer is unlikely, but it's not entirely impossible on slopes with the following characteristics:

• Very steep: slopes steeper than about 35 degrees.
• Rocky: slopes with variable snow cover due to the roughness of the terrain.
• Wind-affected: slopes where December and January's strong winds produced variable snow depths.

Want to catch up on the last week's conditions? Want to know when it's going to snow (me too!). Be sure to watch our latest weekend update!