Avalanche forecast

Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago.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

Highlights

Heavy snowfall on multiple weak layers in the snowpack creates dangerous avalanche conditions. Some slopes will fail naturally, and triggering an avalanche in the new snow will be easy. There is potential for larger avalanches to break on older weak layers several feet thick, but these avalanches will be less obvious and less common. Areas favored by snowfall in the Palisade and Snake will likely have greater instability and more snow at lower elevations. The safest riding is on slope angles less than 30 degrees.  

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

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

    Over a foot of new snow has formed soft slabs that may fail naturally or be easily triggered on some steep terrain features.  Fresh slabs will be most sensitive on wind-loaded slopes at higher elevations.  Carefully evaluate slab size and terrain consequences before riding on slopes steeper than about 30 degrees. Cracking or collapsing in the new snow indicates unstable snow. Instabilities in the latest snowfall hold the potential to step down and trigger larger and more dangerous avalanches where these problems overlap.  

    ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION

    Some sections of the Greys experienced higher wind speeds than others, ranging from 20-40 mph.  Wind-loaded areas hold a higher potential to trigger a larger avalanche. Areas of favored snowfall and higher winds may show signs of instability, even at lower elevations.

    (2/4/2024)

    Small pockets of new snow could be cut and avalanched easily on the old snow/new snow interface around 8-12 inches deep. 

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1.5–3

    New snowfall makes older deep layers in the snowpack more susceptible to natural and human triggering. While trending less likely, skiers and riders can trigger large hard slab avalanches failing on weak snow that persists in the middle of the snowpack. These slabs are 3-4 feet deep above 7,500’.   Your weight may more easily impact this weak snow at mid-elevations, where the slab is thinner or in rocky and wind-affected areas. The recent warm weather least impacted shaded aspects. As a result, they are the areas where it will be easiest to find the persistent slab problem. You are most likely to trigger a persistent slab where the snowpack is shallow or variable in depth or if you trigger an avalanche in the new snow that gains enough mass to step down to deeper snow layers.

    (1/31/2024)

    Hard slab avalanche that likely occured during peak warming on 1/30 in Sheep Creek 9600' W aspect

    Photo: Alex Drinkard

Avalanche Discussion

Each new storm buries a new interface to think about. Depending on the older snow, the bond at this interface can vary significantly in strength. As the complexity of the snowpack increases, particularly during storms, it becomes more and more challenging to assess the stability of a given slope confidently. Obvious signs of instability may be hit-or-miss, depending on which portion of this zone you are in today. Be aware that new snow may exhibit persistent slab-like behavior and be triggered remotely or break onto less steep slopes. With increasing winds and crusts beneath many steeper slopes in the alpine,  lower-angled sheltered slopes may also offer the best riding conditions today. We are in an active weather pattern, and current change is happening at all elevations. Familiarize yourself with the snowpack in areas you frequent, keep your head on a swivel with incoming weather, know the people you like to get out with and how well you communicate—and choose terrain that fits all of the above. Conservative decision-making and careful snowpack evaluation are essential today.   

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