Backcountry avalanche warning issued for mountains of eastern Idaho
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The Forest Service Bridger Teton Avalanche Center in Jackson, Wyoming, has issued a backcountry avalanche warning for the mountains of eastern Idaho. The warning will be in effect until 10 p.m. Friday.
The mountains of southeast Idaho, including the Palisades, Elk Mountains and Big Holes remain dangerous due to an unusually weak snowpack, according to the avalanche center.
“Human-triggered avalanches large enough to bury people are very likely to occur on most aspects and elevations in the backcountry,” the center said in the warning.
Avalanches may be triggered remotely — from flat terrain above, below and to the sides of steep slopes. Once triggered, an avalanche produce a larger avalanche than expected, officials said. An avalanche can run onto low-angle terrain, hitting paths, roads or groomed snowmobile trails.
Forest Service officials recommend avoiding travel on or below slopes steeper than 30 degrees. However, traveling in avalanche terrain is discouraged.
For more information, visit www.btavy.org or www.avalanche.org.
Similar avalanche danger may exist outside the coverage area of this or any avalanche center, officials warned.