Avalanche forecast

Togwotee Pass

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Thu
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
No rating
Below
No rating
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Highlights

Triggering a large avalanche is possible today. These avalanches can fail in weak snow near the ground and could be large enough to bury you. Steep, rocky, northerly terrain or terrain with wind loading should be avoided. Stick to low angle slopes.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    The persistent slab problem remains, well, persistent. This problem is two-fold. Weak, sugary snow on many aspects exists at the bottom of the snowpack left over from a cold and dry November. There are also hard (up to pencil-hard) wind slabs deposited from strong winds. The December snow sits on top of everything and has settled into a firm, cohesive slab. Recent mild temperatures have expedited the settling process, giving the slab more cohesion and a higher propensity to propagate when triggered. The problem will most likely be found in steep, northerly terrain where the wind has built slabs and added additional stress on top of the weak basal facets. Two natural wind slab avalanches were observed in steep northeasterly terrain yesterday, most likely failing on the interface between the old and new snow.

    You may see signs of instability as you travel, such as whumfing or cracking. You may also not see any red flags until the avalanche is triggered from on, above or below the slope you want to ride. Continue seeking low-angle (less than 30°) terrain and watch out for terrain traps where even a small avalanche can bury you.

    Natural wind slab. 10,200 NE aspect

    Photo: Alex Drinkard

Avalanche Discussion

The wind slab problem was removed from the problem list today. Old wind slabs can still be found; however, they are stubborn. The biggest concern with any wind slab development after the last storm is adding weight to a weak snowpack structure. This includes terrain such as the steep north aspects mentioned above that we know harbor old, rotten November snow. Unless you try to dig down, probe or investigate whether there is a layer of weak facets below you, assume the worst ride in sheltered, low-angle terrain.

The other significant hazard on Togwotee is a generally thin, early-season snowpack. Ride conservatively and remember that obstacles lurk just below the surface. A rider was evacuated by helicopter on Saturday in the Teton zone after hitting a shallowly buried rock, causing a significant leg injury. Use caution!

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