Wind-drifted Snow Increase Risk of Avalanches
SUN VALLEY, Idaho (KLIX) – Fresh slabs of wind drifted snow may form as snowfall increases late this afternoon and evening, increasing avalanche dangers in the backcountry of the Sawtooth, Boulder and Smoky mountains.
“These and older generations of wind slab are of greatest concern where they rest on slick surfaces in extreme alpine terrain,” reads information from the Sawtooth Avalanche Center.
In addition, weak layers of sugary snow lurk 2-5’ below the current snow surface. Triggering a slide on one of these layers is unlikely but the resulting avalanche would almost certainly be unsurvivable.
A skier near Galena Summit triggered fresh wind slabs on Monday by pushing loose snow, the center said, noting that a “weak disturbance” will bring up to 3 inches of snow to the Smoky Mountains by nightfall.