Avalanche
Four snowboarders triggered an avalanche at Idaho’s Silver Mountain around 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 28, when they ducked a rope and entered a permanently closed area.
Resort officials reported that the third rider triggered a small avalanche, catching the first two riders. Fortunately, no one was buried or injured.
“A party of 4 ducked a rope to permanently closed terrain and unintentionally triggered a D2 wind slab, that failed at an old/new snow interface. Snow at the bed surface was F-4F with a hard slab on top. 3 people were caught and carried, but no one was buried.
Regular mitigation on in bounds terrain at the ski resort the morning of the incident produced multiple D1 wind slabs triggered with explosives and shooting cracks near ridge lines. Wind slabs were touchy.
In the previous 24hrs to the incident, 20cm of snow had fallen. Winds were gusting in the 30’s every hour that the resort was open, with wind speeds averaging 15mph. Prevailing winds for the day were coming out of the Southwest. Snow was observed to be transporting all day and building new reactive wind slabs.
Moderate-strong winds and new snow had been building new wind slabs the day prior to and the day of the avalanche. During the time of the avalanche, a watch was in effect for the area.”
– Report submitted to Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center
In a social media post, Silver Mountain emphasized the importance of respecting closures. “Our ski patrollers carefully consider current conditions and mitigation work when designating open and closed areas,” the resort stated.
“Please respect all rope closures and boundaries while at Silver Mountain Resort as they are there for your safety. On December 28th around 1:30 PM, four snowboarders hiked up to a permanently-closed area and knowingly ducked a rope closure line. The third rider triggered a small avalanche and was caught and carried along with the first two riders.
Fortunately no one was buried or injured during this event. However, it is a powerful reminder that slope and weather conditions in the mountains are continuously changing. Our professional ski patrollers designate what is closed or open after careful consideration of current conditions and mitigation work. Please keep out of closed areas.”
“**An Avalanche Watch is in effect from Saturday 7AM to Sunday 7AM**. Very dangerous avalanche conditions could develop on Sunday and raise the danger to High (Level 4of5). Forecast snowfall amounts by midday Sunday is sufficient to overload pre-existing weak snow layers and cause a widespread cycle of avalanches large enough to bury, injure, or kill a person.
Heavy snowfall and strong winds have created dangerous avalanche conditions on most slopes. Triggering an avalanche in the storm snow will be large enough to bury or injure a person. Avoid traveling in avalanche terrain and give steep overhead hazards an extra wide buffer.”
– Backcountry avalanche forecast at the time
A similar incident occurred at Colorado’s Steamboat Ski Resort on December 29 when a skier triggered an avalanche in closed terrain. Another inbounds avalanche occurred at Bridger Bowl, Montana, on December 15 on open terrain. The only avalanche-related fatality of winter 2024-25 so far was in Idaho on December 15, when a snowmobiler was buried near Cascade.
Silver Mountain, in Kellogg, Idaho, offers a diverse skiing experience across two peaks: Kellogg and Wardner. The resort has 1,600 acres of skiable terrain with a 2,200-foot vertical drop. It features 73 named trails catering to various skill levels, from beginners to experts. The mountain receives an impressive average annual snowfall of 300-340 inches. Silver Mountain’s lift system includes one gondola, five chairlifts (one quad and a mix of triples and doubles), and a magic carpet. The resort is conveniently situated just off I-90, about an hour east of Spokane and 30 minutes east of Coeur d’Alene. Beyond winter sports, Silver Mountain offers year-round activities, including mountain biking, hiking, and scenic gondola rides.
