Avalanche forecast

Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

The avalanche hazard will rise to Moderate as the likelihood of loose snow avalanches on steep slopes will increase as the day warms. These slides are most likely in wind-sheltered terrain during the heat of the day. Triggering an avalanche up to a foot deep is also possible in isolated areas at upper elevations. Avoid wind-loaded pockets, get an early start, and move to gentler terrain or colder slopes if you observe the snow surface breaking down.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Sunny conditions and mild temperatures will destabilize the snow surface as the day warms, making loose snow avalanches possible on steep slopes ranging from E-S-W. Humans may trigger these avalanches or they can release naturally near exposed rocks/cliff bands. They begin at a point and fan out to collect debris as they move downslope. They are commonly small but can really pack a punch in the wrong terrain or push a rider into consequential areas. These will primarily appear as wet loose avalanches; however, solar-induced dry-loose avalanches can also occur on shady slopes and remain as dry snow but essentially be triggered by the same mechanisms of a wet loose avalanche (i.e., solar input or human movement). 

    Watch for obvious signs that the warm sun is wetting the surface of the snow. Thinly covered rocks and cliffs are the first areas to shed. Small roller balls or pinwheels of moist snow can be an early warning that loose snow slides may follow. Pay attention to what's above you. You can largely avoid this problem by sticking to colder, shaded aspects or lower-angle terrain.

    (3/9/2025)

    Wet and dry loose snow avalanches spanning various aspects in the upper Greys. 

    Photo: Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Wind slabs continue to build in the alpine, with moderate to strong winds that have shifted direction over the past several days spanning multiple aspects. The wind can weave in and out of rocky features and craft unexpected slabs across complex mountain terrain; expect cross-loaded features or pockets of winded snow on a variety of aspects in the upper elevations. Most of these avalanches will be small—and in isolated spots—but could knock you off your feet in exposed terrain. Watch for active loading/cross-loading in unusual places, given the atypical wind direction over the last several days. Avoid very steep slopes with signs of wind loading or visual signs of recent wind transport.

    Per usual, steer clear of being below or too close to the edge of any cornice. March is the time of year when these beasts tend to destabilize and trigger larger avalanches on the slopes below.

    (2/8/2025)

    Recent upper elevation wind slabs.

Avalanche Discussion

Right now, we're experiencing a snowpack in the throes of change. Just like our feet, about to enter the change from boots all season to a pair of flip-flops, usually, that change isn't very pretty. This is a time to start early and be off steep slopes in the heat of the day. Rock, rime, and other alpine hazards will also destabilize as things melt more, and these should be on your radar, too.  Dry snow still exists in the alpine, so watch for isolated pockets of winded snow in consequential terrain. That said, gradual warmth and hard overnight freezes will bode well for the snowpack until the overnight temperature scales tip. 

Yesterday, in the upper Greys River vicinity, I found percolation columns in the middle 2-3 feet of the snowpack, starting below the crust beneath the most recent snowfall on a mid-elevation north aspect. These neat little features symbolize that the spring transition has started. They form as temperatures warm and slopes see a bunch of solar input, melting surface snow into water. The water trickles down through air spaces in the snowpack, forming long vertical channels that eventually snake down to the ground. These features help consolidate the snowpack and, as long as temperatures refreeze overnight, act as "rebar." They also efficiently deliver water to locations that act as barriers where it can pool, like crusts or weaker snow; yesterday, it was pooling water midday on the 2/6 rain crust. This will be something to watch in areas where this crust is more widespread. For now, folks are stepping out. Keep your head on a swivel, continue safe backcountry travel practices, communicate with other groups (and within your group), and be off steep slopes early.  

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