Sandpoint, Idaho – Dangerous avalanche conditions have developed across the mountains of northern Idaho as heavy snowfall and powerful winds combine to create unstable snowpack across the region.
According to the Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center in Sandpoint, a Backcountry Avalanche Warning remains in effect until 7 a.m. Friday for Bonner, Boundary, and Shoshone counties, including mountain terrain across the West and East Cabinet Mountains and the Bitterroot Mountains in the Silver Valley above 4,000 feet.
Meteorologists say an atmospheric river interacting with a powerful jet stream is delivering multiple feet of new snow at higher elevations while strong to extreme winds build dense slabs within the snowpack.
These conditions are expected to trigger a widespread cycle of natural avalanches, some capable of burying or killing a person. Avalanche experts warn that backcountry travelers could very easily trigger slides, even from lower angles or from a distance.
Popular recreation areas near Sandpoint, Wallace, Kellogg, and Lookout Pass are among the regions where unstable snow conditions are most concerning.
Officials strongly advise avoiding all avalanche terrain during the warning period, including steep slopes, open bowls, and gullies where avalanche debris can accumulate.
The warning remains active through early Friday morning, and avalanche danger may remain elevated afterward as heavy snow and wind continue impacting the Idaho Panhandle mountains.
