Lawinenlagebericht

Togwotee Pass

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Thu
Hochgebirge
3 · Erheblich
Waldgrenze
3 · Erheblich
Unterhalb
Keine Stufe
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Veraltet — dieser Lagebericht ist 3 years ago abgelaufen. Du siehst vergangene Verhältnisse, nicht den aktuellen Bericht.

Kernpunkte

Human triggered avalanches will be likely at all elevations today. Persistent slabs could activate with the new snow that fell yesterday and today, awakening layers that are burieddeep in the snowpack. Avalanches will be most likely in steep and wind-loaded terrain. Looks for signs of wind affect like drifting or cornices and cracking or collapsing. Slabs up to 3' thick triggered today could easily bury a person.

 

Lawinenprobleme

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Likely
    Größe
    1.5–2.5

    Lingering beneath a hard slab and new snow lies weak layers buried 2-3’ deep. The Feb 18th layer is our main concern.  This layer is composed of a facet, crust combination found on solar aspects. Many areas of Togwotee also harbor weak, sugary facets across all aspects. New snow and fresh wind slabs will stress these buried weak layers and increase the chance of triggering a large avalanche. Terrain with an increased likelihood of triggering one of these avalanches includes:

    • Shallow snowpack: Weaker buried layers of snow .
    • Wind-affected: Terrain where wind has formed firm, cohesive slabs of snow.
    • Steep: Over 35° slopes.

    Many cornices are reaching their zenith for the season. Be aware that these large cornices often break further back than anticipated and can trigger unusually large avalanches for the given conditions. 

    Mocassin Basin 9500' E aspect

    Photo: Cory Beattie

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Fresh wind slabs that are 1-3 feet thick exist on many aspects at the middle and upper elevations. These slabs are primarily 4F to 1F in hardness and rest on top of fist-hard decomposing snow from the powder cycle prior to the most recent atmospheric river. Wind howled overnight with 6" of new snow and more falling this morning which will be availabale to build more wind slabs through the day today. These wind slabs could be hard, stubborn to trigger but large in wind exposed areas like Angle Mountain and softer but easier to trigger in more sheltered terrain like Maverick Creek. 

     

    (3/14/2023)

    This avalanche was triggered on Tuesday just after noon in the Tetons. More snow this morning in Togwottee could make slabs like this larger and could easily bury a person.

Avalanche Discussion

The atmospheric river event underproduced snowfall in western Wyoming but between the snow that did fall (3-4" last night and 3-4" more this morning) and the high winds, the avalanche dragon will be surly in the high peaks. Banded showers and unstable spring-like storms like this one have an unpredicatability about them that should keep you closely monitoring weather and snowpack conditions as you move around in the terrain today. Wind sheltered locations above yesterday's rain-line (around 8,000') hold promise for continued good skiing and riding, just watch your overhead hazard and monitor for density breaks within the new snow that could produce a slab. 

Recent avalanche activity has included persistent slabs up to size 2 with crown depths ranging from 1-5 feet.

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