Avalanche forecast

Tetons

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Out of date — this forecast expired 11 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Areas of instability in the form of deep persistent slabs exists at the mid and upper elevations. Although these slabs have become less sensitive, make no mistake, backcountry riders or skiers still have the potential to trigger them and once triggered, these slides are likely to be large and carry severe consequences. Incorporate a wide margin of safety in managing this hazard and stick to slopes that are not prone to avalanche activity. Avalanches are unlikely at the lower elevations.

Avalanche problems

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

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

    The possibility to trigger deep slab avalanches with depths to five feet continues. These hard slabs lie on a deeply buried layers of faceted snow that persist on all aspects above 7500 feet. They could be triggered by a single person hitting a shallow weak spot or more easily by larger triggers such as snowmachines or groups of skiers. Challenging characteristics of deep slab avalanches include that the problem can last for long periods of time and that terrain is difficult to manage as steep slopes can fail even after they are tracked.

Avalanche Discussion

Split flow and high pressure will keep skies mostly clear on Saturday. Temperature inversions will strengthen overnight with valley lows around 20 degrees below zero. Nighttime temperatures in the mountains will be in the single digits before climbing into the upper teens during the day. Easterly ridgetop winds will veer to the south at 15 to 25 miles per hour.The general avalanche hazard is expected to be Moderate on Saturday. Moderate hazard is not a green light. While the likelihood of triggering large, dangerous hard slab avalanches has decreased, the consequences remain high. These slides could still be triggered by the weight of a single skier or rider if they hit a particularly weak or shallow part of the snowpack. These slabs are even more susceptible to failure by larger triggers, such as snowmobiles or groups of skiers. If mountain temperatures are higher than forecasted, the likelihood of triggering these slides will increase as the day warms. Remember, persistent weak layers demand conservative decision making and a wide margin of safety.

Regions covered