Soldier & Wood River Valley Mtns

Human-triggered avalanches are likely on slopes above 8500', particularly in the western and northern regions of this zone.

We will begin issuing daily Avalanche Forecasts with Danger Ratings when snow cover allows for reasonable backcountry recreational access. 

If you're travelling above 8500' or along the northern border of this zone (near the Coyote and Tornak huts (photo), in the Warm Springs Ck drainage, including out of bounds on Bald Mountain (video), in the mountains north of Ketchum, and in the Soldier Mtns), please refer to the Galena Summit & Eastern Mtns forecast.

Much of the terrain in this zone was snow free until the recent storms. Consistently high rain-lines and unusually warm temperatures this month have prevented a snowpack from developing at middle and lower elevations.

The deeper snowpacks in the higher elevation terrain in the northern and western edges of this zone probably resemble the snowpack in the southwestern part of the Galena Summit & Eastern Mtns zone. In these areas, slopes that face away from the afternoon sun (NW-N-NE-E-SE aspects) near and above 8500 ft are the most dangerous. While slabs now exist on many slopes above about 8000', the weak layer of sugary, faceted snow near the bottom of the snowpack is worst on shadier, upper elevation slopes.

Cracks shooting out from you and "whumpfing" sounds as the snowpack collapses are red flags that indicate unstable conditions.  Avoid steep slopes if you experience these obvious signs of instability. Triggered slides could be wider than you expect. You could trigger avalanches remotely—from gentler terrain above, below, or to the sides of steep slopes.