Avalanche forecast

Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Thu
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
3 · Considerable
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Highlights

Human triggered avalanches are likely in steep, wind loaded terrain today. Strong winds overnight continued to build wind slabs which may be sensitive to triggering in some places and stubborn but larger in others. Look for signs of instability, like shooting cracks, before committing to steep slopes. Persistent weak layers coninue to create  concern for larger and more dangerous avalanches, especially in the Wyoming range or anywhere that a thinner snowpack exists. Dig to identify this layer or stya on slopes under 30 degrees to avoid this hazard.

Wet slides at low elevations remain a concern this morning until temperatures cool and freeze the snowpack this afternoon. These could be large enough to bury a person.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    You'll be dealing primarily with new snow avalanche problems today. You are likely to trigger wind slabs 1-3' thick today in steep, wind-loaded terrain. South-southwest winds cranked up overnight, averaging 27 mph, with 639 miles of wind, more than enough wind to grow slabs that were already sensitive to triggering yesterday. Wind speeds will abate slightly and shift west through the day but will remain strong enough to continue to grow slabs.   Look for sensitive slabs in less exposed areas and firmer, more stubborn slabs that could break above you, in more wind-exposed areas due to the strong winds overnight.

     

    (3/14/2023)

    This avalanche was triggered on Tuesday just after noon in the Tetons. Wind slabs will be larger than this today.

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    Lingering beneath a hard slab lies weak layers buried 2-3’. The Feb 18th layer is our main concern due to an increase in avalanches in the Wyoming Range(Shepard Creek, Hoback Peak). The Greys zone has a diverse snowpack with stark differences between each individual mountain range. The Salt and Snake River Ranges have not seen the uptick in recent avalanche activity or propagating results in stability tests. Our main focus continues to be on the heightened avalanche danger in the Wyoming Range. Increased loading from this  storm will add stress to these weak layers, especially in wind loaded terrain. Reported avalanches have been triggered remotely, and this potential will remain today. Avoid slopes over 30° and understand that large avalanches can be triggered remotely from gentler slopes above, below, or beside steep slopes.

    Slopes above Star Valley may remain unstable today due to a poor freeze last night and new snow loading the weak layers responsible for recent avalanche activity.

    (3/7/2023)

    This avalanche was triggered remotely by the skiers on the rib well to the right of the start zone.

    Photo: Dan Janjigian

Avalanche Discussion

The atmospheric river event underproduced snowfall in western Wyoming but between the snow that did fall and the high winds, the avalanche dragon will be surly in the high peaks. Banded showers and unstable spring-like storms like this one have an unpredicatability about them that should keep you closely monitoring weather and snowpack conditions as you move around in the terrain today. Wind sheltered locations above yesterday's rain-line (around 8,000') hold promise for continued good skiing and riding, just watch your overhead hazard and monitor for density breaks within the new snow that could produce a slab. Standing around beneath the eave of a metal roof continues to be a bad idea this morning as well.

Recent avalanche activity has involved wind slabs and persistent slabs that were size 1-2, including some avalanches that were remotely triggered from afar.  Check out the YouTube field report from Blind Bull for more on this persistent weak layer concern.

More on the weak layer forecaster Alex Drinkard:

Our focus shifts to the persistent slab problem found in the Wyoming Range. This area has experienced numerous large avalanches on the Feb 18th weak layer. Rapid loading of snow 3 days ago will stress this layer. Other areas are not as dangerous, as the Feb 18th layer is trending towards dormant in the Snake and Salt River Ranges. Unfortunately, we don’t want to count our cards quite yet and neglect the possibility of a persistent slab avalanche. Use careful judgment if recreating in the Wyoming Range as the combination of wind slabs with a persistent slab is a deadly combo. 

 

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