Avalanche forecast

Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
3 · Considerable
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Out of date — this forecast expired 8 months ago.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

Dense, heavy snow combined with strong wind has formed firm wind slabs and stressed buried weak layers creating dangerous avalanche conditions. Give steep, upper elevation terrain that has been wind loaded a wide margin of safety as the snowpack adjusts to abnormal weather patterns and recent loading. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Strong and gusty wind over the last 48 hours has created firm wind slabs 1-2 feet deep primarily in upper elevation terrain. Due to the strong intensity of the wind, slabs may be present in unusual locations such as cross-loaded features and show less obvious signs of instability. Triggering a wind slab could easily step down to buried weak layers initiating a larger and more consequential avalanche.

    (12/8/2025)

    Here is a great example of a small wind loaded test slope to determine the reactivity of recent snow. 

    Photo: Joey Manship

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1.5–2.5

    Recent dense snow and heavy wind loading has added stress to weak layers buried 2-3 feet below hard slabs. Warm temperatures and potential high rain levels have changed the character of the overlying slab as the snowpack adjusts to the new load. Deeper and larger avalanches are more likely on steep, shaded, north-facing slopes above 9,000’ where weak layers are more well-developed and reactive. As the slab above the weak layers become denser and slowly gain strength over time, signs of instability such as collapsing or whumphing may not occur as frequently. The possibility of triggering large avalanches will still exist. 

    Be aware low snow coverage increases the consequences of exposing rocks and hazardous obstacles.

    Large persistent slab avalanche triggered several days ago in the adjacent Teton forecast zone. 

    (12/8/2025)

Avalanche Discussion

A large atmospheric river produced heavy, dense snow and strong westerly wind over the several days with warm temperatures and rain levels up to at least 8,500’. Combine those changing weather conditions with a poor snowpack structure and you get a recipe for avalanches. Obvious signs of unstable snow may not be present today due to the nature of the weather and avalanche problems. The snowpack will slowly gain strength without any additional inputs, but the persistent slab avalanche problem will not go away that quickly.The good news is that the recent weather will help heal the persistent slab problem. But it will also make it tricky to identify obvious signs of instability with fewer avalanches and less collapsing, or whumphing. The important take-away today is to identify terrain where both avalanches line up with each other.

Due to limited data with few observations and difficult access to terrain, it is important that you dig down and assess the snowpack structure. Figure out where the buried weak layers formed in November exist and how reactive they are by performing simple stability tests. We encourage everyone to share this information by submitting observations so the community can make more informed decisions. A simple observation about snow totals or weather can make a huge impact.

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