Avalanche forecast

Tetons

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 4 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Skiers and riders have the potential to trigger avalanches that have formed during this week’s snowfall. Watching out for areas where recent loading has occurred is the best way to avoid this hazard.  Areas of loading are most likely to be found near peaks and ridge crests,  and in or under steep, cliffy areas.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Over 30 inches of snow has fallen over the last 5 days in the Tetons. Changing wind directions have loaded slabs on a variety of aspects at the mid and high elevations. Soft slab avalanches could be triggered that are shallow, failing on density breaks within this storm, or include several days worth of new snow and have depths to three feet.  Watch for new loading to occur today as winds are to veer to the northeast. 

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    The persistent weak layers that have been a concern throughout the season and have been active on previous storm cycles continue to warrent mention. Although the chance of a single person triggering an avalanche involving these layers has become unlikely, the possibility has not been eliminated. The most likely scenario for release of one of these deep avalanches would be if a slope was impacted by a large force such as a cornice failure or following the triggering of a wind slab. If triggered these slabs are likely to be large to very large hard slabs and could have depths to over 5 feet. 

Avalanche Discussion

Happy New Year. The recent week has been a typical mid-winter storm cycle for the Tetons.  Periods of instability have occurred but generally been short lived where at certain points, slabs can be easily skier triggered and then just a few hours later, be stubborn. Slabs have mostly been failing on mid-storm density breaks and been most sensitive just following periods of rapid loading driven by snowfall, wind and sometimes by warming temperatures as well.  Winds are forecast to become northeasterly today and a lot of loose snow is available to be tranported by the wind. This will provide the potential to load different terrain features than are typically loaded at the mid and high elevations. The persistent slab problem is very close to being dropped as a current avalanche consideration in the Tetons. As this storm cycle ends, evidence of activity involving old snow layers will help to determine how much of threat it does or does not continue to be.  Low elevation slopes are mostly stable and avalanches are not expected there except for in isolated pockets in the steepest terrain. 

 

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