Avalanche forecast

Tetons

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Thu
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago.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

Heightened avalanche danger exists in steep wind-loaded terrain at middle and upper elevations. Use caution around steep couloirs, gullies, cliffs, and other high-consequence terrain. Slabs up to 12" may be sitting on weak surfaces and could be easy to trigger.  Look for drifts and cracking snow surfaces, and stick to sheltered slopes to avoid the problem.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Winds in the last 48 hours have built sensitive slabs up to a foot thick at middle and upper elevations on multiple aspects. 630 miles of wind were observed in the last 24 hours in the Tetons. Look out for stiff drifts and pillows on steep slopes below ridges and in gullies and couloirs. These slabs will not produce very large avalanches but could easily knock you off your feet and send you over cliffs or into trees. This problem can be avoided by sticking to more sheltered terrain below 9000 feet.

    There is currently a wide range of surface conditions, including powder, settled snow, sastrugi, and smooth windboard. While the wind slab problem exists mostly above 8500 feet, the effects of recent wind could extend lower in elevation than you anticipate.  This could surprise you and produce very small isolated wind slabs in exposed areas well below treeline. Travel advice remains the same: Look for drifting and cracking on snow surfaces and stick to slopes that are not exposed to the wind.

    (1/20/2025)

    Small slabs may be easy to trigger along winded ridgelines and exposed or cross-loaded mid-slope areas. Thanks to shifting winds, expect to find variable conditions in the alpine. 

Avalanche Discussion

We currently have a generally stable snowpack. The last 5 days have been Low danger at all elevations. Today, we bumped middle and upper elevations to Moderate based on recent winds. There is not a lot of snow left to move around, but small wind slabs have formed in enough places to recognize an increase in hazard. This might not affect your decision-making, depending on where you ride. However, the trend this week has been to step out into bigger, more exposed terrain. Remember to consider where the wind has deposited snow if your plan involves couloirs, gullies, or any steep terrain above 8000 feet.

Buried in the back of our minds (and under 3-4 feet of snow), there is weak faceted snow on west through north through east aspects at middle and upper elevations. It has not been a problem for some time, but if you happen to find a thinner-than-average section of snowpack on a steep rocky slope in one of these locations, evaluate what’s beneath you and think about the consequences of a large avalanche.

 

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