Avalanche forecast

Togwotee Pass

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

You could trigger large avalanches in steep terrain, especially in areas with stiffer, wind-deposited snow. Avalanches are less likely—but still possible—in terrain sheltered from the wind. Avalanches may be triggered remotely—from areas below, above, and to the sides of steep slopes.

Early season conditions exist. Being involved in an avalanche can result in significant injury due to rocks, vegetation, and the ground lurking just below the snow surface.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    Weak snow is buried in the snowpack across all aspects and elevations. Slab depths above these layers are up to 2+ feet and can be triggered primarily in terrain on the north half of the compass. The snowpack in much of this zone remains shallow and reactive and will receive light snowfall accompanied by wind today. Any change means sticking to simple terrain and ruling out steeper slopes can reduce your chances of triggering an avalanche. Persistent weak layers are difficult to deal with. They can produce avalanches many weeks after they are buried and provide fewer obvious signs of instability as the days pass. They can break wider than expected and may be triggered remotely from gentle terrain adjacent to steeper slopes. 

    Noticing firmer snow over softer snow with pole probing or poking around in a sled trench is another great way to look below the surface and help you identify if weak snow exists on the terrain of your choice. Recent avalanches, cracking, and collapsing are obvious signs of unstable snow. These signs may or may not present themselves prior to triggering an avalanche today. 

    (12/18/2024) K Trail between K and E trails.

Avalanche Discussion

As you travel through the backcountry, recognize you are facing a low-probability but high-consequence scenario. Since burial in mid-December, the stack of weak facets that makes up most of the Togwotee snowpack has treated us to a wide array of avalanche activity–both natural and human-triggered. The best way to manage this uncertainty is to build wide safety margins into your travel decisions. Be aware of the terrain you are traveling in and underneath, and picture the consequences of being caught in a slide in that terrain. Small slides that funnel into tight gullies can have serious consequences.

In areas where the wind has helped to stiffen the overlying snow, you are much more likely to experience cracking and collapsing and to be able to trigger an avalanche. In areas where the snow above is soft and unaffected by the wind, you are less likely to see these obvious signs of instability. Bear in mind that the new snowfall today may be masking signs of previous wind loading. If the character of the snow you travel through changes from soft to firm, the likelihood of triggering an avalanche increases. Unfortunately, even in areas completely sheltered from the wind, triggering an avalanche involving this weak snow is possible. Fortunately, the low-angle meadow riding improves each time it snows and can offer a good alternative to steeper slopes today.

 

Regions covered