Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

Lawinenprobleme

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  Persistent Slabs

  N

  NE

  E

  SE

  S

  SW

  W

  NW

  • Hochgebirge
  • Waldgrenze
  • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze

  Wahrscheinlichkeit

  Likely

  Größe

  2–3

   If you can ride through it, you can slide through it. That's the take away from a recent avalanche up Willow Creek that buried two riders. The 3' thick hard slab avalanche broke well up the slope and through the timber at 8,600'. The buried December facets and especially the surface hoar remain a problem. The snow that's fallen since January 4 has settled into a firm slab that's less reactive now than two weeks ago, but it can still be triggered on most aspects and elevations. Wind loaded areas, higher terrain and mid-elevation slopes can produce slides 2-4' thick on this layer. You'll hear and feel collapsing regularly which is a great reminder of the weak snow under you.  Shallower slides in the one to two foot range are possible below 7,500'. 

   

   

   

  

• 

  Deep Persistent Slabs

  N

  NE

  E

  SE

  S

  SW

  W

  NW

  • Hochgebirge
  • Waldgrenze
  • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze

  Wahrscheinlichkeit

  Possible

  Größe

  2–3.5

  Weak snow formed during a dry period in November persists at the base of the snowpack. This layer is now buried about 5 to 6 feet deep in the Salt River, Snake River, and western portions of the Wyoming Range. It is at its weakest on the north half of the compass. Recent loading and warm temperatures are keeping this weak layer on the radar. These very large avalanches are most likely to occur when an avalanche triggered in the most recent snow steps down to weak old snow. Any avalanche involving the entire snowpack will be destructive and likely unsurvivable. 

  Areas in the eastern Wyoming Range, Hoback Canyon, and Gros Ventre Mountains lacked significant snowfall prior to the storm cycle beginning January 4th. In these locations, the new snow has fallen on a snowpack that was primarily made up of weak, sugary snow. Deep slab events are not likely in these locations due to the shallower snowpack.