Avalanche forecast

Snake River Range

Bridger-Teton 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Out of date — this forecast expired 7 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Areas of instability persist where riders and skiers have the potential to trigger avalanches.  Slopes that remain possible to avalanche will be hard to predict and obvious warning signs may not exist. Thorough snowpack evaluation and avoiding high consequence terrain including steep slopes over gullies and slopes over cliff areas are actions that will reduce the chance of an avalanche accident today.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    Some potential remains to trigger weak layers buried on New Years Day.  If triggered, these slabs could release as pockets of soft or hard slabs with depths up to 2 feet. Avalanche terrain that could have areas of buried surface hoar are the most likely places to still trigger an avalanche although all very steep terrain should be respected and evaluated. Looking for terrain aspects where older avalanches have occurred and doing a slope relevant snowpit including snowpack tests are the best ways to determine slope stability. The LaBarge avalanche fatality and Strawberry Creek avalanches in the Salt/Wyoming Range forecast area that occurred early this week are examples of this problem. 

    Older and deeper weak layers are not thought to be a current avalanche concern and will continue to be  monitored.

    (1/12/2026)

    Snowmobile triggered Avalanche in La Barge Creek just east of Commissary Ridge that resulted in a fatality on 1/11/2026. 

    Photo: Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center

Avalanche Discussion

Days of high pressure with warm inversion conditions followed by the arrival of colder air overnight have resulted in an overall strengthening of the snow pack. Avalanches are becoming less and less likely, particularly in south facing terrain where sunlight and temperatures in the 40s have made firm crusts. Current surfaces that include these melt-freeze and sun-crusts, wind crusts, and settled powder in the form of near surface facets should all be noted and remembered when the next system arrives. Also important to note are areas where surface hoar has been forming. This surface hoar growth will be accelerated by the colder temperatures.

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