Avalanche forecast

Togwotee Pass

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
No rating
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Highlights

Skiers and riders have the potential to trigger surface slabs in steep, wind-loaded avalanche terrain and cliff areas at the higher elevations. These slides are most likely to be encountered near ridge crests and beneath cornices or cliffs where winds continue to drift snow onto leeward slopes. Large persistent deep slabs continue to be a serious threat in terrain above 9,000 feet that held early season weak snow and crusts. Avalanches are unlikely below an elevation of 8,500 feet.

Avalanche problems

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

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

    Large to very large slab avalanches that lie on deeply buried weak snow layers could be human triggered in steep northerly facing avalanche prone terrain above 9,000 feet. A single person on skis could still cause their release, however they are more likely to be triggered by bigger loads, such as snowmobiles. Previous tracks are not an indication of stability. These dangerous avalanches could could have crown depths to five feet. The likelihood of a person surviving one of these large destructive slab avalanches is low.

  • Wind Slabs

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

    At the upper elevations soft slabs could be triggered with depths to eighteen inches in steep wind loaded terrain. Winds veered from the southwest to northwest during the recent snowfall and have continued to veer to the northeast overnight.

Avalanche Discussion

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )As the storm track is pushed further south, snow will end overnight. By morning skies will be mostly clear to clear and temperatures will drop further as the cold front takes over. Morning temperatures are to be near minus twenty Fahrenheit in the valleys and minus ten at higher elevations. As daily warming occurs, highs near ten are expected at all elevations. Winds will vary from the north to east with ten to fifteen mile per hour averages during the day. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable in the Southwest Trails/Greys River area. In the Teton and Togwotee Pass areas it will be Moderate above 9000 feet and Low below that elevation. Soft wind slabs will exist in all areas but be most sensitive and larger in the southern zone with depths that could exceed two feet. Very large avalanches involving the deep persistent weak layer near the base of the snowpack on high northerly aspects could still be human triggered in all areas. The chance of doing so is more likely in the generally weaker snowpack on Togwotee Pass area and in Southwest Trails area where slopes have just been rapidly loaded. An event involving this layer is unlikely in Tetons but could still occur in isolated areas.

Regions covered