Avalanche forecast

Tetons

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago.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

Highlights

Skiers and riders have the potential to trigger slab avalanches today. These avalanches could involve the recent snow or older snow layers.  Make conservative terrain choices and watch for signs of instability such as collapse or shooting cracks.  Yesterday an avalanche buried at least one member of a party riding in Snake River Range.  The group was able to rescue the person(s), fortunately without significant injury. Similar events could occur today throughout the forecast areas. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    During the last 5 days, snowfall combined with  southwest to northwest winds have formed slabs in terrain prone to wind loading.  These slabs could be soft or hard and fail on density breaks near the surface of the snowpack or at the interface formed at the storm's onset. Slab depths could range from 6 inches to three or four feet. It will be more likely to trigger a slab at the high elevations, especially in areas of favored recent snowfall like the west side of the Tetons. 

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    Weak snow layers persist in the snowpack. Avalanches involving these old layers could be large with depths to four feet. Snowpack evaluation is essential to understand if this layer is present on a slope to determine how weak it is. A slope could fail when impacted by the first person or after it has been crossed many times. Use caution and realize that tracks are not an indication of stability. Although more likely to trigger such an event at high elevations, human triggered slides at the mid elevations are also possible.

Avalanche Discussion

Observations continue to show buried weaknesses in the snowpack. As the snowpack continues to adjust to the storm that started on Christmas, avalanches are becoming less sensitive to failure on these weak layers as well as within the storm cycles layering. This situation is one in which the definitions can be misleading as we are transitioning into a Moderate (level 2) rating.  This rating is tricky, because although it is only level 2, human triggered avalanches are still possible, and they can be large in certain areas.  Nearly identical slopes may show stability to one that avalanches when a weak spot is impacted, even after it is tracked. Looking at the snow underlying the supportive recent snow is the best method to understand this weakness. Follow safe practices such as discussing the snowpack structure with your party and only exposing one person in avalanche terrain.  

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