Avalanche forecast

Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Today's sunshine may cause loose snow sloughs on steep sunlit slopes and cliff areas and increase the sensitivity of wind slabs to human triggers. A persistent deep slab avalanche hazard also exists above an elevation of 7,500 feet. These dangerous deep slabs are more likely to be triggered by snowmobiles but could be triggered by the weight of a skier. Avalanches are unlikely at the lower elevations.

Avalanche problems

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2–3

    Skiers and riders can still trigger dangerous persistent deep slab avalanches at the mid and upper elevations. Large triggers such as a snowmobile, cornice failure or the release of a wind slab are more likely to initiate the failure of a deep, hard slab avalanche. However, the weight of a single skier could be enough to trigger one of these persistent deep slabs if a shallow, weak zone is encountered. These low probability/high consequence slides could range in depth from two to five feet and will carry severe consequences for anyone involved.

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Pockets of wind slab up to two feet in depth could be triggered in steep avalanche starting zones, cliff areas and steep chutes. Sunshine and warming temperatures should increase the likelihood for skiers and riders to trigger wind slab avalanches.

Avalanche Discussion

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Skies will continue to be partly cloudy with intermittent light snow showers and flurries in a zonal to northwest flow. Temperatures are forecast to drop into the single digits tonight and rise into the teens and 20s on Wednesday. Winds will continue to be from the west to southwest at 10 to 20 miles per hour with some higher gusts.The general avalanche hazard is expected to be MODERATE between an elevation of 7,500 and 10,500 feet and LOW below 7,500 feet where avalanches are unlikely. Soft wind slabs, one to two feet in depth, could be human triggered in steep wind loaded avalanche starting zones, cliff areas and steep couloirs. Dangerous hard slab avalanches can still be triggered, especially by snow machines, on persistent weak layers of faceted snow with depths from 2 to 5 feet.

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