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
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Heavy snowfall over the last 24 hours in areas favored by the storm has created dangerous avalanche conditions. It will be critical to assess the new snow stability as avalanches could break between 1-2 feet deep on steep slopes. Use cautious route finding to avoid avalanche prone slopes as the new snow remains unstable, especially if slopes receive direct sunlight and become more unstable. 

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

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

    Areas favored by the storm yesterday received 10-16 inches of new snow. Rapid loading and increasing temperature today will create unstable new snow where triggering avalanches will be likely on steep slopes. These avalanches could break up to 2 feet deep below the new snow on crusts buried three days ago. If skies clear, new snow will destabilize quickly and become easier to trigger across all elevations. Look for signs of instability such as cracking surfaces or upside-down character (dense snow above light snow). Assess the stability of new snow before committing to any terrain above 30°. 

    Wind slabs:  Atypical northeast/east wind has formed slabs up to 2 feet deep in the middle to upper elevations. Wind speed remained realtively light so these slabs should be isolated to exposed terrain such as off ridgelines and cross-loaded on open slopes or gullies. Identifying wind loaded terrain will be more difficult today due to atypical wind direction. Watch out for stiffened snow surfaces, large pillows, or drifts as signs that a slope has been wind loaded.

    This type of cracking on wind-loaded indicates unstable snow.

    Photo: BTAC

Avalanche Discussion

Unexpected Snow Totals

Yesterday's storm produced snowfall amounts that far exceeded forecasted totals. Most of the snow fell later afternoon to overnight. This is a good reminder of  why it is important to assess the weather and snowpack yourself rather than rely solely on the avalanche danger ratings. The weather is often times unpredictable. Red flag avalanche conditions are present today. Rapidly loaded snow combined with warming temperatures and the possibility of clearing skies will create conditions primed for human triggered avalanches. Use conservative terrain choices today in lower angle and less consequential terrain while the new snow settles. 

We have removed the persistent slab problem from the forecast today. The last reported avalanches occurred on February 23 and 24 in the southern portion of the Salt River Range failing on weak layers buried in the middle of the snowpack. These weak layers have adjusted to the overlying slab and are unreactive in the majority of backcountry terrain. Very isolated areas in complex avalanche-prone slopes may still be capable of producing persistent slab avalanches on heavily wind affected terrain where thin trigger points could impact the buried weak layers and produce a D2-2.5 avalanche. Terrain where you can encounter these thin spots include very steep, rocky, and unsupported slopes previously wind scoured and loaded.

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