Avalanche forecast

Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

The combination of recent snow, wind, and buried weak layers make human triggered avalanches possible today. The avalanche danger will increase slightly throughout the day. New snow and wind will conspire to build fresh wind slabs that will stress buried weak layers that are 1-3 feet deep. Pay attention to signs of instability such as cracking within wind drifted snow and collapsing of the snowpack. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Fresh WIND SLABS that are reactive to human triggering will be located near ridglines and start zones in the lee of westerly flow. These slabs will mostly be soft (4F) and generally have maximum depths around 1 ft. Older stubborn slabs that are 1-2 feet thick linger in specific terrain features on a variety of aspects in the alpine.

    Shallow STORM SLABS will start to build today on top of a layer of well preserved stellars in protected areas. If snowfall rates exceed  1 inch per hour this morning these slabs could fail naturally. . 

    DRY LOOSE sloughs could run far and fast with all of the recent low density snow.

    (3/1/2023) Recent large wind slab likely failing on buried Feb 18 layer. Simialr avalanches in the area failed due to cornice fall.

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    The Greys zone illustrates a wide range of conditions between the Northern and Southern portions of the zone.  A layer of facets, buried on Feb. 18th, remains particularly suspect, as incremental loading continues to occur throughout this week and into the next. Numerous soft and hard slab avalanches have been triggered recently on this weak layer, now buried 2-3 feet (and counting) across all elevations and most aspects. Luckily, it's still fairly high enough in the snowpack that one can assess its presence by digging a pit, and is a crust+facet sandwich found on the southern half of the compass across most elevations, E-S-W. This zone is large and snowfall rates for the recent period of snowfall have varied greatly.

    Recent avalanche activity, including the unfortunate fatality in Poker Creek, is a reminder to carefully assess the terrain as you ride.

     

    (3/2/2023)

Avalanche Discussion

The Greys picked up 1-2 inches of snow last night with moderate westerly winds. Snowfall is expected to continue today with up to 6 inches possible by the early evening hours. 

Recent avalanches have been observed on the lowland buttes and sagebrush slopes surrounding Jackson Hole. High Mtn. Heli professionals observed natural avalanches in the wake of the most recent loading cycle. Slab avalanches above the Feb 18 layer were observed on a variety of aspects up to size 3. 

Regions covered