Avalanche forecast

Tetons

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Conditions remain dangerous and conservative terrain choices continue to be the best practice to avoid being involved in an avalanche accident.  Backcountry riders and skiers have the potential to trigger small to very large avalanches in steep avalanche terrain.  Avalanches can be triggered at all elevations and are particularly sensitive at the mid elevations where the persistent weakness is most reactive. 

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1.5–3

    A widespread layer of weak faceted snow, including surface hoar lies underneath consolidated snow that has fallen since early January.  Avalanches involving this weak layer can be human triggered today with depths of 2 to 4 feet at the mid and high elevations and with depths to two feet at the low elevations.  At the mid elevations, areas of the snowpack remain so weak that triggering a slide remotely remains a possibility. For this reason, travel under steep, connected avalanche paths should still be avoided. 

    A chance exists for avalanches to involve older weak snow formed in November that lies near the base of the snowpack in upper elevation terrain on northerly aspects. No avalanches are thought to have stepped down to this layer since the peak of the last avalanche cycle on Jan 10/11th.

    Photo: Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center

Avalanche Discussion

In a snowpack wrought with weakness, restraint and vigilance will continue to be necessary to avoid avalanche incidents.  It is uncommon but not unprecedented for the mid elevations to have a higher danger rating than both the high and low elevations. Do not overthink this, human triggered slides are possible at all elevations and could be quite large at the high elevations.  The different rating at mid elevations is simply because the weakness is the most profound there and the likelihood of triggering a slide is higher.  At this time, steepness is a key element in what is more likely to slide and remember that slides have been occurring in all types of steep terrain, including trees. Avalanches could also occur when first impacting a fresh slope or after it has been tracked several times. Reports of large collapsing, snow-pit details, and other observation data continues to support the existence and extent of the weak snow layer in western Wyoming. 

Regions covered