Avalanche forecast

Tetons

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago.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

Highlights

Recent snow and wind are creating dangerous avalanche conditions. Human-triggered avalanches breaking 1-3 feet deep are likely in wind-loaded terrain as well as in areas more sheltered from the wind. Sticking to lower-angled slopes remains your best approach. Recognize that you could trigger avalanches from above, to the side, or below steeper slopes.

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2

    Over the past 48 hours, around 12-20 inches of snow have fallen in the Tetons. This recent snow is settling and creating a cohesive slab in many locations, including some rare low-elevation terrain that happened to harbor older snow. Taking a peek at recent observations denotes a reactive problem on the new/old snow interface,  buried ~1-2 feet deep. This weak interface is easy to find in snowpack tests; dig to add this data point to your decision-making and terrain choices, and carefully evaluate the snowpack as you change aspect and elevation.  

    Be alert to signs of unstable snow, such as cracking or collapsing—these are obvious indicators you've found dangerous conditions.  Half of the recent avalanches have been triggered remotely—from areas below, above, and to the sides of steep slopes. Be aware of the terrain you're in and what's above you.

    (12/15/2024)

    Recent soft slab debris on the exit from Columbia Bowls. 

    Photo: Blake Votilla

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2

    Moderate to strong winds (gusting over 40mph) out of the south/southwest increased yesterday, forming slabs 2-3+ feet thick in exposed terrain above ~9,000’. The higher one moves in elevation, the thicker and less predictable these slabs may be and the larger the avalanche they can produce. You’re most likely to encounter this problem where a stiff wind-loaded slab sits over old snow at upper elevations. Rippled or dome-like features indicate that you've found a wind slab. Even without these signs, fresh drifts are wise to avoid, especially in higher consequence terrain.

    (12/15/2024)

    This large avalanche was remotely triggered in Christmas Tree Bowl on 12/15 on surface hoar on the old/new interface. 

Avalanche Discussion

It's finally looking like winter after weeks of high pressure. The current challenge remains that when it snows and blows, the avalanche danger goes up. Weeks of clear weather have created a weak interface between the new and old snow. This interface is being tested by this continuing storm on both northerly and southerly slopes, though in spottier distributions on southerly. We can still enjoy the fresh powder by sticking to simple terrain and lower slope angles and ruling out steep, upper-elevation slopes that have seen more wind. Very steep, sheltered slopes also need an extra dose of caution. The season is still young, and now is a great time to practice good habits that stick—like measuring slope in the field vs. relying on slope angle shading on a map. We currently have a ton of primary bullseye information, including recent avalanche activity, continued reports of collapsing, and poor test scores. But it all points to the same conclusion—we have a tricky snowpack currently. As you move in the mountains, look for those surefire indicators that the new loading is bringing weaker snow close to the edge. 

 

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