Avalanche information in the backcountry
BoltWX's avalanche feature provides on-demand information about avalanches with the details that backcountry users need to make good decisions.
Danger Ratings
Get information about avalanche danger ratings, snowpack problems and freezing levels even when you're out of cell phone signal.
USA & Canada Coverage
BoltWX gets data from the US National Avalanche Center and Avalanche Canada. All Canadian and most US forecast zones are supported (detailed list below).
Easy to use
Your satellite device does all the work. Simply message the BoltWX service and receive avalanche information for your location in moments.
Accessing Avalanche Forecasts
A quick overview of how to access avalanche forecasts via BoltWX.
BoltWX provides access to US and Canadian avalanche forecasts for when access through official forecast channels is unavailable. You should always check the official US or Canadian forecast before you enter the backcountry. You agree to use the BoltWX forecast at your own risk (see the BoltWX terms and conditions for our disclaimer about avalanche forecasts). Avalanche forecasts are only available in winter.
To receive an avalanche forecast, include the phrase "AVALANCHE" in your message. For example, your message should read: AVALANCHE #ACCESSCODE# (50.12135, -111.12345)
Below is an example of a typical BoltWX avalanche forecast with the translation below it. The forecasts include both the Danger Ratings and the Snowpack Problems. Download the BoltWX Avalanche Message Translation Reference Sheet here (JPEG image format) and save it on your phone to refer to in the backcountry.
Terminology used in the forecasts is the same as Avalanche Canada terminology. See the Avalanche Canada glossary here for more information.
Note: Previous versions of BoltWX used "AVYCAN" or "AVYUSA" for requesting forecasts. Both of these keywords will still work.
| Keyword | Description | Sample Request |
|---|---|---|
AVALANCHE |
Requests daily danger ratings, snowpack problems, and freezing levels for your GPS location. | #ACCESSCODE# AVALANCHE (50.12135, -111.12345) |
AVYCAN / AVYUSA |
Legacy keywords for requesting Canadian or US forecasts (both keywords remain supported). | #ACCESSCODE# AVYCAN (50.12135, -111.12345) |
Sample Avalanche Message
Below is an example of a typical BoltWX avalanche forecast with the translation and breakdown below it:
Sample Avalanche Message
| Sample SMS Response | Detailed Line-by-Line Breakdown |
|---|---|
|
Mo:CML 300m Tu:HCM 1500m We:XHC 2500m WndSlb:AllElev,NE-W,VLi,s1-2 WetLoo:TLN-BTL,AllAsp,Poss,s1-1.5 |
Daily Danger Ratings & Freezing Levels:
Monday: Considerable (Alpine), Moderate (Treeline), Low (Below Treeline) • Freezing level 300m
Tuesday: High (Alpine), Considerable (Treeline), Moderate (Below Treeline) • Freezing level 1500m
Wednesday: Extreme (Alpine), High (Treeline), Considerable (Below Treeline) • Freezing level 2500m
Active Snowpack Problems:
Wind Slabs: All Elevations, Northeast to West aspects, Very Likely, destructive size 1–2
Loose Wet: Treeline to Below Treeline, All Aspects, Possible, destructive size 1–1.5
|
Danger Ratings
| Element | Details |
|---|---|
| Message Structure | Day: Alpine Rating, Treeline Rating, Below Treeline Rating, Freezing Level |
| Rating Levels & Abbreviations |
Low (L) Moderate (M) Considerable (C) High (H) Extreme (X) Special Ratings Early Season (ES) Spring Conditions (Sp) No Rating (None) |
| Freezing Level | The daily average freezing level in metres above sea level. |
| Message Examples | |
| Mo:CML | Monday: Considerable, Moderate, Low |
| Tu:HCM | Tuesday: High, Considerable, Moderate |
Snowpack Problems
| Element | Details |
|---|---|
| Message Structure | Type: Elevations, Aspects, Probability, Size |
| Problem Types & Abbreviations |
Storm Slabs (StmSlb) Wind Slabs (WndSlb) Wet Slabs (WetSlb) Persistent Slabs (PerSlb) Deep Persistent Slabs (DePerSlb) Loose Dry (DryLoo) Loose Wet (WetLoo) Cornices (Cornice) |
| Problem Variables & Abbreviations |
Elevations: Alpine (ALP), Treeline (TLN), Below Treeline (BTL), All Elevations (AllElev) Aspects: North to South (N-S), West to East (W-E), All Aspects (AllAsp) Aspects are always described most-Westerly to most-Easterly (i.e. left to right) Likelihood: Unlikely (Unli), Possible (Poss), Likely (Li), Very Likely (VLi), Certain (Cert) Size: Size 1.5 to 2.5 (s1.5-2.5) |
| Message Examples | |
| StmSlb:AllElev,AllAsp,Poss-Li,s1-2 | Wind Slabs: All Elevations, All Aspects, Possible to Likely, size 1-2 |
| WndSlb:ALP-TLN,W-E,VLi,s1-1.5 | Storm Slabs: Alpine & Treeline elevations, West to East aspects, Very Likely, size 1-1.5 |
| PerSlb:TLN-BTL,SE-SW,UnLi,s1-2.5 | Persistent Slabs: Treeline & Below Treeline elevations, Southeast to Southwest aspects, Unlikely, size 1-2.5 |
|
WetLoo:VLi,s1-2.5 ALP: S TLN: SE-SW BTL: AllAsp |
US forecasts can include aspect info for multiple elevations and are displayed as below: Wet Loose: Very Likely, size 1-2.5 Alpine elevations: South aspects Treeline elevations: Southeast to Southwest aspects Below Treeline: All aspects |
Supported Avalanche Centers
BoltWX automatically routes your coordinates to official regional avalanche forecast centers across the USA and Canada.
USA
Supported US National Avalanche Center forecast zones:
- Northwest Avalanche Center
- Central Oregon Avalanche Center
- Sawtooth Avalanche Center
- Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
- Mount Washington Avalanche Center
- Sierra Avalanche Center
- Flathead Avalanche Center
- Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center
- Payette Avalanche Center
- Bridgeport Avalanche Center
- Mount Shasta Avalanche Center
- Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center
- West Central Montana Avalanche Center
- Wallowa Avalanche Center
- Valdez Avalanche Center
- Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center
- Chugach National Forest Avalanche Center
Canada
Official Avalanche Canada Network:
All Avalanche Canada forecast areas are supported.