Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

Today, it is unlikely that you will trigger an avalanche in the majority of terrain across the region. Isolated pockets of unstable snow may exist in very steep terrain. Avoid having multiple people on steep slopes and riding near terrain traps that could make the consequences of even a small avalanche worse.

Currently light snow is trickling into some locations across the region. Prior to this we haven’t seen significant weather since January 9th. This has given the snowpack time to consolidate and for weak layers to adjust.

It is unlikely that you will trigger an avalanche, but not impossible. The forecast region is vast, and there can be subtle snowpack differences from one drainage to the next. Slopes that I would be wary of are ones that are shallow, rocky, and convex at upper elevations. Very steep slopes with these features could have a weaker snowpack where a slight possibility of impacting weak snow buried deeper down exists. Also, avoid steep slopes surrounding creek bottoms, where buried surface hoar could act as a weak.

A great tool for reducing our overall risk is to practice safe travel techniques, even at low danger. Only expose one person at a time to steep slopes, keep eyes on your partners, carry avalanche rescue gear on your person and practice with it. Avoid terrain traps that could make the consequences of even a small avalanche worse.