Avalanche forecast

Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Today, you may encounter wind slabs that are sensitive to your weight. They may increase in size and hardness throughout the day as winds increase. Avalanches are most likely on slopes with wind drifting but could occur in wind-sheltered terrain, particularly south aspects. Assess the snowpack you are moving in, particularly if riding both sunny and shady terrain in upper elevations.  Cautious route-finding and continual assessment will decrease your exposure to hazards.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Light snow and periods of moderate wind over the past few days may have created wind drifts in upper-elevation, wind-exposed terrain. Increasing wind speeds late today will also build drifts and cross-load slopes in new places.  These slabs could be triggered in steep terrain and will be the largest and most sensitive at the upper elevations where they will likely be soft and have depths of over 1 foot.  Triggering soft slabs that are failing on weak layers in sheltered terrain are less likely today, but can't be ruled out entirely.

Avalanche Discussion

 A crust+facet combination from the November dry spell exists underneath the past 48hr storm snow on slopes that directly face the sun (southern half of the compass). I've found this combination of problems both at Togwotee and the Tetons up to 10,000', and it likely exists higher. Time will tell how long this layer is problematic, but I'm wary of slopes where this layer exists. Additionally, north aspects, particularly above 9000' at Togwotee and in the Tetons, harbor more well-developed, faceted snow. 

A disappointingly low amount of feedback exists for our current snowpack. Yesterday, I expected to see more visible natural activity with the addition of a larger new snowfall in the late-afternoon clearing in the Tetons. Wrapping my head around the current model for our snowpack has highlighted a large degree of uncertainty as to what will cause more reactivity on our November drought layer. 

Regions covered