Avalanche forecast

Bridgeport Avalanche Center

Bridgeport Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 8 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Recent winds have deposited stronger layers of snow over weaker snow, resulting in an unstable snowpack in wind loaded areas. Unfortunately, these areas are also where colder and deeper snow exists, so you may be drawn to them looking for quality conditions. As you get closer to wind loaded snow, you'll notice it becoming more consolidated and supportable, so turn back to low angle terrain or enjoy unconsolidated snow in wind sheltered trees. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–3

    There is more than one layer of unstable, wind loaded snow that you could trigger today. Both deep (~3ft) and shallow instabilities have been observed recently. The deeper instability rests on a rain crust, which would make an excellent sliding surface for a large avalanche. The shallow instabilities will be easier to trigger, and would still be consequential in the wrong terrain, or could step down to the deeper weak layer. Although recent NE winds have deposited small drifts of snow in unusual places, overall these places have a shallow, unappealing base due to previous wind erosion.

Avalanche Discussion

We're two weeks out from a brief but impressive avalanche cycle that failed on old weak snow near the bottom of the snowpack. Last weekend, we had additional snowfall and several natural avalanches that were not as large or as deep as two weeks ago. This is a sign that the old weak snow near the ground has gone dormant. However, numerous snowpack tests have been failing ~3ft down on a different weak layer just above a rain crust. We traded one deep weak layer for another, but with stable weather today natural triggers are unlikely. Watch for the impacts of a warming trend this weekend.

Regions covered