Avalanche forecast

Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Dangerous avalanche conditions exist. New snow and winds will stress weak layers buried 2 - 3 feet deep making large human-triggered avalanches likely on middle and upper-elevation terrain. At lower elevations, storm slabs less than 1 foot deep will be found on steep slopes. Use conservative terrain choices and stick to low-angle terrain to significantly decrease your risk. 

A Winter Storm Warning is in effect until 11:00 AM Saturday. 

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    Triggering a large avalanche 2 - 3 feet thick on buried weak layers is likely at middle and upper elevations. These layers - formed on 2/6- have been recently active in the neighboring Teton zone and will remain sensitive under the new snow. The current slab sits on a variety of weak surfaces, including crusts/facets on solar aspects and facets on northerly aspects. Terrain where these weak layers are most reactive are being actively loaded by south/southwest wind. Triggering a fresh wind or storm slab will likely step down to buried weak layers producing large avalanches. Wind-loaded terrain will be the most dangerous today. Use careful route-finding to steer clear of wind-loaded slopes. Keep in mind that steep, sheltered terrain also has the capability of producing larger avalanches. Stay away from slopes where you see signs of instability in the new snow such as cracking, collapsing, and recent avalanches. Using conservative terrain choices and sticking to slopes <30º will significantly decrease your risk. 

    (2/11/2025)

    This older large avalanche occurred on weaker snow deeper in the snowpack at upper elevations near Gunsight Pass. 

    Photo: Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center

  • Storm Slabs

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

    Over the past 24 hours, up to 10 inches of snow has fallen in the Salt and Wyoming Ranges. As the new snow fell it became denser overnight, creating sensitive slabs up to 10 inches thick on all elevations and aspects.  Expect these slabs to grow larger through the day as snowfall continues. Human-triggered avalanches are likely and natural avalanches will be possible in steep terrain. Pay close attention to signs of instability such as shooting cracks, collapsing, and recent avalanches. Triggering a slab in the new snow can step down into older snow creating larger than expected avalanches. Using conservative terrain choices and sticking to slopes <30º will significantly decrease your risk. 

    Additional Discussion: Fresh slabs may be thicker at upper elevations where south winds have transported additional snow. Carefully evaluate terrain where wind slabs typically form, such as ridgelines, cross-loaded gullies, and leeward slopes. The formation of drifts, cornices, or blowing snow will help you identify where slopes are loading. 

    (2/3/2025)

    A large storm slab from a previous storm in the Salt and Wyoming Range. 

    Photo: Ray Landry

Avalanche Discussion

Since the beginning of January, snowpacks across the state have nearly doubled.  Snowfall on older, weak snow from January (~3-5 deep) has not been a concern, whereas the more recent interface (2/6) consisting of crusts/facets in the top portion of the snowpack (1-3 feet deep) are the primary concern. While the snowpack continues to adjust to the most recent loading, continue to evaluate steep slopes carefully and identify where wind deposited from the last storms. Continue to look for signs including large collapses. However, we will see fewer of these clues going forward - chances are you will trigger an avalanche without seeing any signs beforehand.

If you are uncertain whether a steep slope could avalanche and don’t want to dig to investigate weak layers, consider the consequences if you are on that slope, and it avalanches - I am certain that few good outcomes are getting caught in a large avalanche or even a small avalanche in a terrain trap.

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