Lawinenlagebericht

Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Tue
Hochgebirge
2 · Mässig
Waldgrenze
2 · Mässig
Unterhalb
1 · Gering
Open full map
Veraltet — dieser Lagebericht ist 2 years ago abgelaufen. Du siehst vergangene Verhältnisse, nicht den aktuellen Bericht.

Kernpunkte

Triggering a large avalanche that fails on weak snow buried 2-4 feet deep is possible in steep terrain today. The consequences of triggering avalanches at this depth are high and warrant conservative terrain choices. Avalanches are unlikely in the lower elevations.

Lawinenprobleme

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    1–2

    Weak snow that formed in early December sits 2-4 feet below the surface and remains a lingering threat today. Triggering an avalanche at this depth carries severe consequences. While it is becoming more difficult to trigger these deeper layers, it cannot be ruled out. Avalanches involving buried weak layers have been observed as recently as 5 days ago. Thin spots in the slab are the most likely places to impact these layers. Thin spots usually exist around very steep, rocky, and wind blown terrain features.

    Large triggers in the form of groups, snowmobiles, avalanches within the new snow and falling cornices will increase the odds of impacting these layers. Use safe travel practices in order to minimize your exposure to this problem. Travel one at a time across steep terrain, use islands of safety when stopped, and communicate with your group members throughout the day.

    Additional Discussion: The recent snow from the past 48 hours is settling and appears to be bonding well to old surfaces. No new avalanches were reported yesterday and winds have remained light. Wind slabs were removed from the problem list today, although it remains a good idea to check for unstable wind drifts if traveling to the highest reaches of the forecast zone.

    (1/9/2025)

    Natural persistent slab avalanche that likely failed 1/7 on weak layers formed early season on the ground. Slab depths ranged from 2-3'

    Photo: Alex Drinkard

Avalanche Discussion

The snowpack in the Salt and Wyoming ranges varies depending on location. Many areas possess a deep snowpack, yet shallow areas are also present, especially along the east side of the zone. The general setup this year is similar regardless of location. The early season brought minimal amounts of snow and generally cold temperatures. This helped to form weak layers of snow close to the ground. Beginning in mid December, storms deposited snow and created slabs on top of this weak snow. These slabs now range between 2-4 feet in depth and have had time to gain strength. As a result, obvious signs of instability such as recent avalanches, shooting cracks, or collapsing may not present themselves prior to triggering. With the passage of time it becomes more difficult to trigger these deeper layers. Despite this improving trend, it is important to keep this problem on the radar. Patience is key when dealing with a persistent slab problem and today’s approach should be no different than yesterday.

If you see avalanche activity today, please consider submitting an observation HERE. Observations allow everyone to gain a better and more complete understanding of conditions. Thanks!

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