Avalanche forecast

Tetons

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 14 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Up to a foot of snow and very strong northwesterly winds in the past 30 hours have created easily triggered soft surface slabs on lee slopes at mid and upper elevations. Triggered avalanches may also involve denser slabs from Saturday's storm that was driven by southwest winds. Avalanches are unlikely at the lower elevations.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    Yesterday's rapidly accumulating, very light density snow was quickly moved onto lee slopes. Strong northwest winds blew the snow into easily triggered soft slabs to two feet in depth on lee slopes. Strong wind was apparent at all elevations and cross-loading of ridges and basins on a variety of aspects is likely. Triggered slabs to two feet in depth have the potential to include firmer slabs from Saturday's storm another 18 inches in depth. Winds during that storm were southwesterly.

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2

    The snowpack on northerly aspects at the upper range of our forecast area rests on a hard crust from October. Saturday afternoon a large, natural slide ran on the Powder 8 face of Cody peak. The slide occurred at the end of rapid, heavy loading event with warm temperatures. Additional significant snow loading and/or large triggers are likely necessary to release similar deep slabs.

Avalanche Discussion

The avalanche hazard is expected to be Moderate Wednesday. Soft slabs from storms Monday and Saturday exist in steep, lee, avalanche-prone terrain. Saturday's snow was driven by southwesterly winds and Monday's storm came from the northwest. Backcountry users have the potential to release slabs to two feet in depth that involve the snow from one or both storms. Areas to avoid are very steep terrain, areas near cliff-bands, steep chutes and sides of ravines.In the Tetons a hard crust from October at the base of the snow pack exists at upper elevations with northerly aspects. Triggering dangerous avalanches on this layer would likely require rapid snow loading events, large triggers and/or a quickly warming snowpack. The snowpack at lower elevations is thin and avalanches there are unlikely.

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