Avalanche forecast

Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

It will be possible to trigger slabs up to a foot in depth in very steep terrain. Winds in the higher elevations today will help to form shallow pockets of slab that will be sensitive to the weight of a single person. In the lower elevations warm temps will also allow for shallow wet loose avalanches to occur on very steep sunlit slopes.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    Weak snow that formed in January sits below slabs that formed during storms from last week. Lower snowfall totals from last week's storms have made triggering one of these avalanches less likely in the Salt/Wyoming ranges. The sensitivity of these slabs (up to 1 foot thick) is on the decline and the distribution of the underlying weak snow is spotty. When this combination exists, it is difficult to know which slopes are more likely to produce avalanches. With this uncertainty, the best bet is to practice safe travel habits. Expose only one person at a time, regroup in true islands of safety and communicate clearly with your partners when entering steep terrain.

    Moderate winds out of the south will allow for the formation of shallow slabs in isolated pockets today. While generally small in surface area and depth, these slabs may be enough to knock you off your feet or increase the odds of triggering a deeper slab involving the January drought layer.

    A snomobile triggered avalanche near Togwotee Pass that occurred on 2/13. Triggering a slab like this is possible in isolated pieces of terrain in the Salt/Wyo Ranges.

Avalanche Discussion

The month of January brought an extended period of dry weather. This allowed for the formation of weak snow in terrain that was sheltered from the sun. In some areas this weak snow was up to a foot in depth, while in other areas it was only the top few inches of the snowpack. As a result, the distribution of this weak layer is considered “spotty” in that it is not uniform across slopes. Snow that fell last week has slowly settled and formed slabs that are more cohesive and sitting above these weak layers. These factors make it difficult to anticipate where avalanche activity involving last week's slab and the underlying weak snow is more likely to occur. With the passage of time, sensitivity of these slabs has slowly declined. Because of this it will require steeper slope angles than yesterday to initiate an avalanche today.

If out recreating in the Salts or Wyoming Range today, please consider posting an observation here to help the community make informed and safe decisions in the backcountry. Thank you!

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