Avalanche forecast

Togwotee Pass

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
No rating
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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

The snowpack is weak and the  chance continues for riders or skiers to trigger slab avalanches. Although the likelihood of triggering has decreased, the consequences remain the same. Watch for areas of wind loading and avoid very steep terrain, especially above terrain traps and rocky features.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2.5

    An extended dry period in December formed a thick layer of weak snow that can be found on all aspects above 7500 feet.  The chance continues for recreationalists to trigger hard slab avalanches with depths of 1 to 3  feet involving this buried layer. Although the likelihood of triggering a slide has decreased,  human triggered avalanches remain possible. 

    (1/30/2024)

    This slope at 9,400 feet failed widely in the afternoon of January 30th.  After two days of above freezing temps, water flowing through the snowpack reached down to the weak layer of facets, or possibly a crust with facets, and tipped over the first domino in the weak layer.

    Photo: Frank Carus

  • Wind Slabs

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

    New snow is loading on leeward starting zones.  The underlying surfaces are hard and slick in most areas but can be faceted in colder, shaded terrain. Although small in size, these slabs could increase in both size and sensitivity today as snow continues to fall. By nightfall, soft slab depths could reach to as much as six inches in upper elevation starting zones prone to wind loading. 

Avalanche Discussion

Now that temperatures have cooled, the slabs that lie over the weak layer that was buried a month ago will be harder to initiate by the presence of a single person.  That being said, the weak layer is well preserved and dangerous hard slab avalanches could still occur.  They simply have become harder to predict. Tracks offer no indication of stability in this scenario. For those venturing into steeper terrain, taking the time to dig down to the weak layer and evaluating it is recommended on each slope as there is starting to be more variability in the snowpack. 

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