Avalanche forecast

Tetons

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
3 · Considerable
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

The avalanche danger will rise throughout the day.  Human triggered hard slab avalanches are likely in steep terrain. Warming temperatures and sunshine will increase chances of triggering an avalanche and cause widespread, small wet natural avalanches on steep sunny slopes.  Use conservative decisions and wide safety margins around steep terrain and overhead slopes. Monitor the snow as you travel for changing conditions that will become more unstable throughout the day.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1.5–3

    Human triggered avalanches are likely by the afternoon as temperatures warm throughout the day. Currently this morning, the hazard is most likely moderate and could remain moderate in shady locations all day, especially low elevations. With few clouds forescasted, solar input could be intense on sunny slopes which will make the persistent slab more sensitive to human triggers. Remotely triggering an avalanche from a long distance is possible and you may not hear or see any signs on instability until you trigger the avalanche.  Above 7500 feet, slabs could break 2-4 feet deep on weak December snow and below that elevation slabs could be 1-2 feet deep. The problem is widespread but you are most likely to trigger an avalanche this morning on mid elevation shady aspects around convexities or thin areas in the snow pack. As the day progresses and warming temperatures combine with intense solar input, southerly slopes will become more sensitive to human triggers.  This is a good day to avoid overhead hazard and give runout zones a wide margin. As you travel, monitor the snow surface for wet snow and if your skis are sinking as you travel it's time to get off the slope and head for cooler, shadier terrain. Reports of collapsing continue and if you hear a whumph, it's a sure sign that the weak layer is below you.

    Isolated pockets of wind slab existist at upper elevations in steep, exposed terrain. While small, these slabs can have high consequences if you get knocked off your feet above cliffs. There is also a chance they could step down and trigger deeper instabilities.

    This avalanche was remotely triggered from low angle terrain above a thin, rocky convexity, illustrating a typical area where you might trigger an avalanche. (1/29/2024)

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    1–1.5

    Warming temperatures and sunshine will increase the avalanche danger throughout the day and will produce natural wet loose avalanches on steep sunny slopes, especially around rocks and cliffy areas. These avalanches will most likely be small but could be consequential if you are pushed into terrain traps or trees. It is possible that wet loose avalanches could step down and trigger a deeper instability if enough snow is entrained to trigger the persistent weak layer. If you start sinking deeper into wet snow as you travel, or step out of your skis and punch through above your knee, it’s time to move to a colder, shadier aspect.  Use cautious route finding around steep slopes above you. When skinning up though the trees today, watch out for falling snow bombs.

    (1/29/2024)

    Wet Loose - 4Hour Couloir. GTNP

    Photo: Erme Catino

Avalanche Discussion

Several observations came in yesterday evening showing a slight uptick in avalanche activity, possibly associated with some warmer temperatures and a little solar input towards the afternoon after the low cloud layers dissipated. It's good to remember that this widespread weak layer will be there for a while and the snowpack will take time to adjust. The next couple days will be warm and sunny which will increase avalanche activity. Changing conditions and a spatially variable snowpack, particularly at mid elevations where slab heights are thinner in some locations, produces some uncertainty. The best way to manage uncertainty and the risk associated with triggering an avalnache is to give yourself a wide safety margin. Whenever you change slopes or aspects, look aroound and be mindul of steep slopes above you and terrain traps or other consequences below you.

Regions covered