Avalanche forecast

Snake River Range

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Generally safe avalanche conditions exist. It is unlikely you will trigger a large avalanche failing near the ground. Watch for isolated pockets of thin windslab on steep wind-loaded slopes that could knock you off your feet above dangerous terrain.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1–1.5

    Winds over the past 72 hours have been strong at times out of the NW, W, and SW. Thin wind slabs up to 6 inches exist in pockets of very exposed lee terrain at upper elevations. These wind slabs are becoming more stubborn and harder to trigger. Any resulting avalanche will be small, but getting knocked off your feet by a small avalanche in consequential terrain remains a possibility. Continue to look for drifts and pillows around the top of steep couloirs, near cliffs, and along ridgelines. Avoid the problem by riding in sheltered terrain.

    D1 wind slab at 8,500' near Wolf Creek. Human for scale.

    Photo: Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    Triggering a large hard slab avalanche is unlikely. Weak layers of snow buried 2-4 feet deep in the Snake River range are adjusting to the weight of the snowpack.  Instability is most likely to be found in very steep, north-facing terrain. Triggering a large avalanche will be most likely in thin rocky areas where you can impact the weak layers.  Larger triggers, such as groups, snowmobiles, or falling cornices, will increase the odds of impacting these weak layers. 

    (1/16/2025)

    An example of complex terrain in the Snake. Very steep, wind affected slopes where trigger points for a hard slab avalanche could be close to the surface.

    Photo: Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center

Avalanche Discussion

We are now two weeks out from an observed avalanche failing on a persistent weak layer. Buried weak snow on the ground still exists but has mostly adjusted to the weight of the current snowpack. It will probably take a significant increase in load, like a big storm, to see any activity on this layer, and even that is hard to predict. At this point, I am more concerned with weak snow near the surface (crusts and near-surface facets) that has developed over the last 2 weeks. The current surface is ripe to produce avalanches when it becomes buried. The incoming cold front tomorrow is forecasted to bring 4-6 inches of snow to the mountains - I don’t know that this will impact deeper layers, but I can guarantee we will see some surface instabilities.

Please continue to send us your observations!

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