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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Out of date — this forecast expired 8 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

The persistent slab problem continues to be a threat to backcountry travelers. Yesterday, a soft slab was triggered by a large group of approximately 15 skiers at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in an area that had seen several rounds of explosive mitigation including yesterday morning. The relatively small slide(R-1), caught many people and partially buried 5, two of them critically, meaning head covered with part of their body or equipment exposed. Similar events could occur today in the backcountry near Togwotee pass. Snowpack evaluation may not provide the information needed to determine slope stability, therefore cautious route finding and decision making is essential. Avalanches are unlikely below 8000 feet except in isolated pockets in steep loaded gullies.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    A problematic layer of faceted snow lies throughout all aspects above 8000 feet. In some terrain this faceted snow is further complicated by crusts, particularly on solar aspects. This layer could fail to the weight of a single person hitting a particularly weak spot on a slope or to larger loads and have long propagation distances. If triggered, slab depths of one to three feet are possible and increasing temperatures and direct sunlight may increase their sensitivity today.

Avalanche Discussion

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Some light snow and flurries will continue early this evening across the northern portions of our forecast areas. Skies are expected to be mostly clear in the morning. Increasing clouds are forecast during the afternoon. Temperatures will be in the single digits and teens. Winds will veer to the east and be light at 5 to 15 miles per hour. Snowfall since Tuesday has favored the Tetons and Southwest Trails areas. In all areas the snowpack structure is poor. A persistent weak layer of faceted snow has a history of producing avalanches at the mid and upper elevations. The recent new snow has increased the load on that problem layer. At those elevations in the Teton and Southwest Trails areas the general avalanche hazard is expected to be CONSIDERABLE and slab avalanches 1 to 3 in depth are likely to be triggered by humans in steep terrain. At those elevations in the Togwotee Pass area the general avalanche hazard is expected to be MODERATE. Slab avalanche up to two feet in depth could be triggered by humans on steep slopes. Avalanches are unlikely below an elevation of 7,500 where the general avalanche hazard is expected to be LOW.

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