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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Highlights

The potential remains to trigger wind affected snow today, particularly along ridgetops and in steep gullies.  The lingering threat of triggering a much thicker slab avalanche on a deeply buried persistent layer also exists today.  Riding and skiing on a thicker snowpack unaffected by the wind and off of steep and rocky terrain will greatly reduce your chance of triggering an avalanche.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Day before yesterday, there were many reports of skier-triggered wind slabs ranging from 6 inches to 2 feet deep. These occurred in exposed upper-elevation and north-facing terrain along gullies and aprons. On southerly aspects, these slabs will be on top of a mix of crusts, and on northerly aspects, a thin layer of facets exists at the old snow/recent snow interface.  Smaller wind slab avalanches and cornices have the potential to step down to more deeply buried weak layers and produce a much larger avalanche. 

    (2/19/2024)

    Wind pockets will vary in size and distribution at upper elevations in the Tetons. Choose terrain accordingly, and consider the consequences of even a small slide that rips in an unexpected way. 

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    This zone has persistent weak layers buried 3-5 feet deep on most middle and upper elevation slopes on the north half of the compass. In the last week, these weak layers received an increase in load from new snow and wind. Your weight may more easily impact them at middle elevations where the slab is thinner or in rocky and exposed areas scoured and reloaded by wind. Look for clues to help you avoid these thin spots. You can reduce your risk by:

    1. Choosing moderate slopes with low consequences. Safer travel options always exist by sticking to slopes less than ~30 degrees.
    2. Avoiding shallow areas. The weak layer is more easily triggered where it is closer to the surface. The thinner edges of slabs are often the trigger point for much thicker slabs.
    3. Avoiding terrain where wind slabs sit on persistent weak layers. Triggering a wind slab or cornice significantly increases your objective hazard and will more easily impact deeper layers. 

     

    (2/17/2024) Photo: Teton County SAR

    The avalanche on No Name peak is a reminder of the destructive power of an avalanche failing on a deeper weak layer. This one required a very large trigger - either a cornice fall or possibly a smaller avalanche. Steep, rocky terrain like this is a breeding ground for this type of avalanche.

Avalanche Discussion

Recent warm temperature, time and the resulting settlement have brought greater stability to surface snow issues but deeper weak layers remain largely unaffected. The current lull in avalanche activity on the deeper persistent layers that have reared their ugly head periodically this winter is mostly due to the weakness being out of reach of a skiers impact.  People are stepping out successfully into steeper terain without triggering a large avalanche but the potential to trigger a deeper avalanche remains a possibilty particularly in the locations described above. Lots of tracks on steep slopes and chutes shouldn't be interpreted as a green light, especially not in areas labeled by the danger scale as "extreme". Variable snow depths over the course of the season due to wind action and previous avalanches are very hard to track without an intimate and slope scale point of reference. The steeper and rockier the terrain, the more you'll rely on luck for safe passage. Fully understanding your exposure to the risks remains in your control on many but certainly not all slopes.  

We dropped the lower elvation band to low today thinking that the recent warm weather has already produced any wet avalanches in most places and generally stabilized the snowpack. Sunshine today could increase that risk though avalanches remain unlikely below 7500'. Remember that the problem rose isn't an actual map of the hazard but more of a guide. You could certainly find a buried PWL on a cold northerly slope at 7400'.

Regions covered