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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Out of date — this forecast expired 6 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Since Wednesday afternoon, there have been about 6 to 12 inches of new snow with higher amounts in some localized areas. The additional load has increased the weight over persistent weak layers buried within the snowpack. Southwest winds will continue to form pockets of wind slab along leeward aspects of ridge crests and wind-loaded terrain features. Small wind slab and large persistent slab avalanches could be triggered by riders and skies on steep avalanche-prone terrain above an elevation of 7,500 feet. Below that elevation, the hazard is generally Low, where avalanches are limited to isolated pockets on steep terrain, although there have been reports of greater snowfall amounts in Granite Canyon where the hazard may be higher. Warming temperatures are likely to increase the sensitivity of the wind slab avalanches to human triggers, and if a small slab is triggered, it could result in initiating a deeper slab avalanche on persistent layers. Assess the snowpack and terrain carefully. Conservative terrain choices are warranted.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    Poor snowpack structure is widespread in the Southwest Trails forecast area. Basal facets, near-surface facets, surface hoar, and crusts all persist in the snowpack. On a variety of aspects above 7,500 feet, skiers and riders continue to have the potential of triggering persistent slab avalanches that could have depths of one to four feet. Large triggers, such as snowmobiles, are more likely to initiate one of these slabs.

Avalanche Discussion

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Overnight and into tomorrow, snowfall is expected to impact the Tetons with five to ten inches and only one to three inches in the Togwotee Pass and the Grey’s River areas. Mountain temperatures will start in the mid to low teens and then warm into the upper teens to low twenties. Westerly ridgetop winds will be ten to twenty miles per hour with higher gusts. At the upper elevations in the Tetons, the avalanche hazard is expected to remain Considerable. There, riders and skiers could easily trigger soft slab avalanches up to 3 feet deep and dangerous sluffs on steep avalanche-prone terrain. In the Grey’s River and Togwotee Pass forecast areas, the avalanche hazard is expected to be Moderate. Riders and skiers could possibly trigger small to large persistent slab avalanches one to four feet in depth. Although these slab avalanches will be harder to trigger than the slabs in the Tetons, the outcome will likely have much higher consequences.

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