Avalanche forecast

Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Thu
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Triggering an avalanche in wind-drifted snow 1-3 feet deep is likely today. Watch for obvious signs including pillows and drifts around exposed terrain. Large amounts of loose snow could sluff on steep sheltered slopes. Be conservative around steep, rocky and wind-affected slopes where it remains possible to trigger a large and destructive avalanche on deeper weak layers.  Use caution today as the snowpack adjusts to the new load.

 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Moderate to strong W/SW winds continue to redistribute recent storm snow and built slabs 1-2 feet thick at middle and upper elevations. These slabs could be sitting on older slabs and other deeper weak layers.  Watch for shooting cracks around the tips of your skis or your sled. This problem exists on many aspects due to variable winds and the effects of terrain. Watch for stiff pillows and drifts around exposed ridgelines, below cliffs and around cross-loaded terrain features like gullies. Small wind slab avalanches can easily knock you off your feet in consequential terrain or step down to deeper weak layers triggering larger avalanches. Seek out sheltered slopes to avoid this problem.  In steep areas that are not wind-affected, it will be easy to entrain large amounts of loose snow.

    In addition, storm slabs may have formed at middle and upper elevations on all aspects, even in less wind-exposed areas. Watch for shooting cracks and collapsing.  Travel on low-angle slopes to avoid this problem.

    (2/29/2024)

    Active wind transport seen off ridgelines in the upper elevations. Old avalanche from the wind event on 2/26-2/27 seen lookers right on photo. 

    Photo: Alex Drinkard

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2–3

    Weak layers are buried up to 5 feet below the surface at all elevations and a foot of snow overnight has increased the likelihood of triggering an avalanche. This problem is most prevalent on west through north through east aspects. You are most likely to trigger a large avalanche in steep, rocky, wind-affected terrain or any other area where the snowpack is thin and weak layers are more easily impacted. Dig, probe or trench your sled to asses the weak layers buried beneath you. Mitigating the persistent slab hazard requires riding lower-angle slopes and not traveling beneath avalanche terrain or around terrain traps. 

    If the sun pops out this afternoon, watch for small wet loose avalanches on low and middle-elevation steep southerly terrain indicated by rollerballs and changing surface conditions. While these avalanches will be small, they can knock you off your feet. Heating snow surfaces is also an indication of increased  sensitivity of the persistent slab problem. Move to shadier slopes without overhead hazard.

    (3/3/2024)

     A very large natural persistent slab avalanche on Palisade Peak. NW Aspect, 9600 feet. This avalanche was seen from the air, estimated to have a crown height up to 6.5 feet and stepped down to facets at the ground.

Avalanche Discussion

The Greys River avalanche forecast zone is huge. Snowpack depths and avalanche problem distributions vary dramatically depending on where you are and how much snow there is. The biggest takeaway from this variability is that shallow snowpacks are generally more dangerous because we can impact the buried weak layers and trigger avalanches more easily with the weight of our snowmachine or a single skier. The Salt and Snake river ranges have more snow than the Wyoming range. This is a huge generalization but holds in most cases. The persistent slab problem exists in all these locations but is closer to the surface in thinner snowpacks. When in doubt, or whenever trying to manage uncertainty, remember that conservative decisions and safer terrain (lower-angle) will always reduce your exposure to whatever hazard is lurking under the snow.

Regions covered