Avalanche forecast

Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 8 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Strong winds and new snow have created dangerous avalanche conditions above 8000 feet. The danger will continue to rise throughout the day as snowfall and wind increase the size and likelihood of triggering avalanches. Human triggered avalanches are likely and natural avalanches are possible. Avoid steep, rocky, and wind loaded slopes.  Shooting cracks and collapses indicate unstable snow. Thin coverage and shallowly buried rocks remain a significant hazard at low elevations.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    1–2

    The 5-6 inches of snow that fell overnight arrived with moderate to strong SW winds. Another 5-8 inches is expected today with SW/W winds gusting in the 40s mph. By the end of the day, expect to find drifts 1-2 feet thick above 8000 feet in terrain exposed to the wind. Warming temperatures will create upside down conditions. You are very likely to trigger wind slabs on steep wind loaded slopes at upper elevations. Pay close attention around ridgelines, steep rocky slopes exposed to the wind and cross loaded gullies. Recent snow sits on a variety of surfaces, but most concerning is a widespread crust buried 2 days ago. Wind slabs could run far and wide on this crust and be larger than expected.

    If forecasted amounts arrive by evening, look for slab development in the middle elevations, including more sheltered areas. Collapsing and shooting cracks indicate instability.

    (12/8/2025)

    Watch for cracking in new drifts.

    Photo: BTAC

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    Weak layers of snow that formed in November are buried 2-4 feet deep beneath hard slabs. These slabs have been largely unreactive recently due to a strong upper snowpack. However, new snow and wind continue to slowly load buried weak layers. While unlikely, the possibility remains that you could impact these weak layers and trigger a persistent slab avalanche. Very steep, rocky, and wind affected northerly slopes at upper elevations are most suspect.  Keep in mind that a surface avalanche involving new snow is the best way to trigger deeper weak layers.

    Very steep, rocky, and wind affected terrain where persistent slab avalanches are most likely to occur.

Avalanche Discussion

This is a large forecast zone. The snowpack can change dramatically based on aspect, elevation, and from one range to another. Keep this in mind if you are out riding and covering long distances. We know there is a widespread crust in the Salt River Range and assume as much in the Wyoming Range, but much less is known about the Wyoming Range due to a lack of observations. Conservative decision-making is warranted today and into the weekend as the snowpack continues to adjust.

If you’re out and about in the Salt River or Wyoming Ranges, please consider submitting an observation. For those who send in pictures or write about what they find out there, we can’t thank you enough! This forecast zone has very few observations. This lack of information, combined with the size and snowpack variability across these two mountain ranges, contributes to uncertainty in our avalanche forecast. If you find the time to send us a picture, thank you!

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