Avalanche forecast

Togwotee Pass

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
No rating
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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Triggering an avalanche in fresh wind-drifted snow is possible in steep, upper-elevation terrain. Several layers of weak snow are buried deeper in the snowpack, and though unlikely, you could trigger a larger avalanche on this snow. Make your terrain selection accordingly and be alert to the consequences of being caught in a slide where you are traveling. Bright sunshine between periods of clouds will change the snow surface and increase the hazard, particularly in steep or rocky terrain. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    New snow and wind create fresh wind drifts at upper elevations that you could easily trigger. The past 72 hours have delivered around 10" of snowfall to Togwotee Pass. Snow will move easily on the old snow surface, and conditions at middle and low elevations with less snow will be icy. Expect features like terrain constrictions, couloirs, or steep open snow faces to harbor this problem. This is not a widespread problem, but think about the consequences of taking a ride in a small avalanche before committing to a slope. While these wind slabs probably won't bury you, they're too big to tangle with. They could knock you off your feet in consequential terrain, push you into trees, or wash you into a terrain trap. The possibility of wind slabs breaking wider than expected makes them less "manageable" than they normally might be. The best approach is to "identify and avoid." 

    ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION

    Increasing cloud cover and winds are on the menu today, but any periods of sun will rapidly destabilize the new snow on sunny slopes. Wind slabs will become more sensitive, and small, wet loose slides are possible if the sun comes out. Monitor the cloud cover and be prepared to move off solar slopes if skies clear for a prolonged time.

    Angle Mountain (4/7/2024)

    Isolated cracking observed in wind drifted new snow along upper elevation ridge lines.

    Photo: Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    Triggering a persistent slab avalanche on weak snow buried 2-4 feet deep is unlikely but not out of the question yet. The most probable areas to trigger a persistent slab avalanche include steep, rocky, and wind-affected slopes on the north half of the compass. These areas contain thin, shallow spots where riders can easily impact weak layers. Shallower snow is also found east of the continental divide and south towards the Gros Ventre Range. Previous tracks on a slope are not an indicator of stability. Use caution in steep terrain and give yourself a wide margin of error on slopes with high consequences or near terrain traps. Move to low-angle terrain to avoid this problem. 

    The last known persistent slab avalanche occurred on 3/16 in Upper Deception Creek. On 3/19, a wet slab avalanche failing on these persistent weak layers occurred on Breccia. More avalanches such as these are possible during spring warm-ups and may span the border between a wet slab and a persistent slab problem. However, both will be equally destructive avalanche types.

    A snowmobile-triggered persistent slab avalanche occurred in Upper Deception Creek on 3/16.

Avalanche Discussion

A few days ago, I was chatting with a mentor in Bozeman about risk because this is the time of year when we tend to accept more risk, not only as mountain professionals but as recreationists. Why? Because conditions lend themselves to greater stability and, of course, because it's fun. However, making that risk-taking process extremely well-calculated is crucial. Usually, I hear the counter-statement to any discussion of risk in the backcountry: "Well, life is risky. Driving involves more risk." And sure, I can buy aspects of that statistic. But he had a different perspective. We rarely see the full spectrum of risk that we are generally exposed to on the daily. The internal and external pulls on our decision-making are much more complicated regarding the backcountry.

An easy example of this is social media. When I'm driving, and someone passes me on the double yellow doing 70 mph on that icy turn outside of Moran and swerves in front of a (sneaky) semi just in time to return to safety, I never think, "Wow, I'd like to do that, that was so cool." But the mental response is usually quite different when we see people threading needles or taking risks in a different context, like skiing. And sometimes, it's easier to frame things in this context. It's fun to push yourself in the mountains, but knowing when to back away is an equally important skill, and understanding your motivations as an individual can be a tough onion to peel. As you move through the mountains today, take the time to observe the nature of the snow you are traveling through, who you're traveling with, and if your personal internal and external factors align with the terrain choice you're making. 

 

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