Avalanche forecast

Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Fresh snow and wind are adding stress to widespread buried weak layers, especially in the upper elevations of the Wyoming Range. The Palisades, Salt Rivers, and  Snake River Ranges have deeper snowpacks and buried weak layers that are located in specific terrain. Slow down when entering consequential terrain and assess the slopes you plan to ride for possible terrain traps. 

There was a rider triggered avalanche (and subsequent partial burial) on Hoback Peak on March 2- Hoback Peak Avalanche Incident

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    The Greys zone illustrates a wide range of conditions between the Northern and Southern portions of the zone.  A layer of facets, buried on Feb. 18th, remains particularly suspect, as incremental loading continues to occur throughout this week and into the next. Numerous soft and hard slab avalanches have been triggered recently on this weak layer, now buried 2-3 feet (and counting) across all elevations and most aspects. Luckily, it's still fairly high enough in the snowpack that one can assess its presence by digging a pit, and is a crust+facet sandwich found on the southern half of the compass across most elevations, E-S-W. This zone is large and snowfall rates for the recent period of snowfall have varied greatly.

    Recent avalanche activity, including the unfortunate fatality in Poker Creek, is a reminder to carefully assess the terrain as you ride.

     

    (3/2/2023)

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Fresh WIND SLABS that are reactive to human triggering will be located near ridglines and start zones in the lee of westerly flow. These slabs will mostly be soft (4F) and generally have maximum depths around 1 ft. Older stubborn slabs that are 1-2 feet thick linger in specific terrain features on a variety of aspects in the alpine.

    Shallow STORM SLABS will continue to build today on top of a layer of well preserved stellars in protected areas. 

    DRY LOOSE sloughs could run far and fast with all of the recent low density snow.

    (3/1/2023) Recent large wind slab likely failing on buried Feb 18 layer. Simialr avalanches in the area failed due to cornice fall.

Avalanche Discussion

The Greys picked up 3-8 inches of snow last night with moderate westerly winds. Snowfall is expected to continue this afternoon with up to 2-4 inches possible by the early evening hours. 

A rider was caught, carried, and buried up to their neck on March 2nd in the Wyoming Range at the upper elevations. Recent avalanches have been observed on the lowland buttes and sagebrush slopes surrounding Jackson Hole. High Mtn. Heli professionals observed natural avalanches in the wake of the most recent loading cycle. Slab avalanches above the Feb 18 layer were observed on a variety of aspects up to size 3. On February 24 there was an avalanche fatality in the Wyoming Range at the middle elevations. 

Regions covered