Missoula, MT – Deadly avalanche conditions are gripping parts of the Bitterroot Mountains this weekend, where deep snow and renewed wind could trigger slides large enough to bury or kill backcountry travelers through Sunday morning.
According to the Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center in Sandpoint, a backcountry avalanche warning took effect at 7 a.m. PDT Saturday and remains in place until 7 a.m. PDT Sunday for the Bitterroot Mountains, including terrain tied to western Montana’s MTZ001 zone, along with the Silver Valley and East Cabinet Mountains above 4,000 feet. The alert was relayed by the National Weather Service in Missoula.
Forecasters said the danger began ramping up Wednesday night as an atmospheric river and a powerful jet stream delivered heavy snowfall and extreme winds across the Inland Northwest. Snow totals have reached multiple feet at higher elevations, and while winds eased after midweek, gusts are expected to increase again Saturday to 40 to 50 mph. That wind can rapidly load slopes and spread fresh snow into unstable slabs.
Those slabs can break under the weight of a skier, snowboarder or snowmobile, and some avalanches may release naturally. The avalanche center warned that the biggest slides could run well beyond steep terrain, reaching mature timber, valley bottoms and flatter areas below.
Anyone considering mountain travel should stay out of avalanche terrain, avoid runout zones, and delay recreation plans until conditions improve. The warning remains in effect through Sunday morning, and additional alerts may follow if snow and wind continue.
