Avalanche forecast

Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
3 · Considerable
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Highlights

Yesterday a snowmobiler was seriously injured when he was caught and partially buried in a slide on a southeast aspect of Mt. Leidy in the Togwotee Pass area. Multiple large fresh slides were observed by rescuers in that area. A snowboarder died in an avalanche in the Teton Range on Monday. Avalanche fatalities occurred on Togwotee Pass on February 18 and in the Squaw Creek Drainage of the Salt River Range area on February 17. In this forecast area there are areas where the snowpack is especially dangerous. More fatalities are likely. The general avalanche hazard is considerable. Most avalanche fatalities occur during periods of considerable or moderate hazard. Please be careful today and stay off and out from under avalanche prone slopes.

Avalanche problems

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

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

    Very large slab persistent deep slab avalanches are likely to be triggered by riders or skiers who venture onto steep slopes. Natural releases are possible. These dangerous slab avalanches could be 4 to 8 feet deep above an elevation of 7, 500 feet. If you trigger one of these destructive slides, you will most likely not survive. Below 7,500 feet, these slab avalanches are likely to range in depth from 2 to 4 feet. Today's sunshine may increase the sensitivity of these slides to human triggers. Previous tracks on a slope should be be interpreted as a sign of stability.

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Wind slab avalanches formed by recent west to northwest winds could be triggered by humans who venture onto steep wind loaded slopes. These slab avalanches could be 1 to 3 feet deep. Once triggered these wind slab avalanches could step down and trigger a much larger persistent deep slab avalanche.

Avalanche Discussion

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )A weak system will keep skies mostly cloudy overnight and bring 1 to 3 inches of new snow to the higher elevations. Skies will slowly clear during the day. Temperatures will be in the single digits and teens in the mountains and in the teens and 20’s in the valleys. West-northwest winds will diminish to speeds of 5 to 15 miles per hour. The general avalanche hazard rating is expected to be considerable. Most avalanche fatalities occur during periods of considerable and moderate avalanche hazard. Conditions are ripe for more fatal accidents. Today’s strong winds formed new wind slabs and redistributed the load on deeply buried persistent weak layers. Very large and destructive slab avalanches are likely to be triggered by humans in the Togwotee Pass and Greys River areas and are possible in the Teton area. These dangerous slabs could be four to eight feet deep and are likely to be un-survivable. Smaller surface slab avalanches formed by recent winds could also be triggered by the weight of a person. These wind slab avalanches could be 1 to 3 feet deep and can also kill people who venture onto steep slopes.

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