GALENA PASS, Idaho — An Avalanche Warning is currently in effect for Galena Summit and the Eastern Mountains after the higher elevations in the area received upwards of two feet of snowfall overnight.
The Avalanche Warning was issued at 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday and is forecasted to remain in effect until Wednesday at 4:00 a.m.
According to the Sawtooth Avalanche Center, both persistent slab and wind slab avalanches are "very likely" to occur at the mid- to upper-elevations. If triggered, persistent slab avalanches could prove fatal.
"Today is not the day to try to thread the needle and outsmart the snowpack," reads the Sawtooth Avalanche Center bulletin.
Furthermore, the snowpack is so fragile that those traveling in avalanche terrain over the next 24 hours have a good chance of remotely triggering a slide that could run outside of typical avalanche paths and into lower-angle terrain.
AVALANCHE WARNING - NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
...The Forest Service Sawtooth Avalanche Center in Ketchum has ISSUED an AVALANCHE WARNING which is in effect until 4 AM MST Wednesday...
* WHAT...Avalanche warning. The avalanche danger is HIGH. The combination of heavy snowfall and wind is overloading a weak snowpack.
* WHERE...The Pioneer, Boulder, Smoky and southern White Cloud Mountains, including the mountains near Triumph, Trail Creek Summit, Baker Creek, Galena Summit, and Smiley Creek.
* WHEN...Through 4 AM MST Wednesday.
* IMPACTS...Natural and human-triggered avalanches large enough to bury people, snap trees, and destroy structures are near certain to occur.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Very dangerous avalanche conditions exist. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended. Stay off and out from below steep slopes, slopes steeper than about 30 degrees. Avalanches may be triggered remotely, from flat terrain above, below, and to the sides of steep slopes.
Consult www.sawtoothavalanche.com or www.avalanche.org for more detailed information.
Similar avalanche danger may exist at locations outside the coverage area of this or any avalanche center.
