Avalanche forecast

Tetons

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Avalanche problems today should be limited to very steep or wind-loaded slopes in the upper elevations.  Steep slopes and areas beneath cliffs may contain slabs one to two feet thick  that are sensitive to triggering.  Warm temperatures and sunshine may lead to increased sensitivity or even some wet avalanche activity at middle and lower elevations but only on very steep, solar aspects as temperatures rise. You'll find that the 15-18" of new snow that has fallen in the past 3 days provides great skiing and riding with avalanche concerns generally limited to sluff management or slabs in extreme terrain.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Storm and wind slabs up to two feet thick or more may be found in areas affected by gusty wind yesterday or steep areas where sluff has accumulated.  These slabs could grow more sensitive this afternoon as temperatures rise and if sunshine heats up surfaces though this problem will be limited to isolated areas on steep, solar aspects.  A close call yesterday occurred when a skier triggered a slab on a steep unspported area over a cliff yesterday in the backcountry adjacent to JHMR.  The new snow is settling and bonding but may not be entirely stable yet poarticularly where it fell on harder snow on southerly aspects.

Avalanche Discussion

The Pacific moisture that has brought deep and stable powder skiing and riding has served to reduce avalanche concerns to more obvious avalanche problems nearer the surface. This applies to those zones where the snowfall has been copious. Drier zones, such as the east side of the Southwest trails zone and most of the Togwottee zone, are where weak layers persist. Buried surface hoar seems to be the culprit in avalanches that have occured most recently in those locations.  Teton avalanches have been a result of more obvious wind loading but even thoise avalanches have been limited due to the mostly light winds.  Yesterdays observations and field time indicate that the areas in the Tetons and Salts that received the most storm snow generally adjusted well to the new load with limited signs of instability.  Today will see signifcant improvement in visibility which will provide a good opportunity to assess this new snow for signs of wind affect.  

Regions covered