Avalanche forecast

Tetons

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago.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

Highlights

Human-triggered avalanches are likely at all elevations due to consecutive days of warm temperatures with minimal overnight refreezing. If you are traveling in the mountains today, limit your time and exposure when moving through avalanche terrain - both on and adjacent to you. Be on the lookout for sagging cornices, while a hazard in themselves they can also fail and trigger additional slides. 

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Over the past few days, the mountains have experienced a widespread shed cycle. Wet loose avalanches have been numerous, and the tally climbs every time someone ventures into a new zone. Today will be slightly colder, however, we haven't experienced the full cooldown yet and temperatures today are expected to climb into the upper 30s F to low 40s F. Last night's minimal refreeze will cause this problem to linger. Yesterday it was very easy to trigger wet loose snow in steep terrain, which both entrained and grew into sizeable pinwheels downslope. While new snow doesn't bond well to crusts, it's also not ideal when it falls upon a wet and unconsolidated snowpack - keep this in mind if the mountains receive more than the forecasted inch of snow today.

    Additionally, be mindful of cornices that have become stressed during this warm-up. While a hazard in themselves, they also can fail and trigger additional slides.

    Wet loose activity on 4/11/23. Pinwheels were easy to initiate and send tumbling down. East Ridge, Taylor. 

Avalanche Discussion

The weather forecasters labeled yesterday as the warmest day since last fall for much of the region. It was a warm one and was highlighted by continued wet loose activity being noted by human triggers after a widespread natural cycle, which occurred on April 10. Things today will be ever so slightly cooler and with a bit more cloud cover, but the lack of a true refreeze is keeping many of us on our toes. It’s been a winter of records and extremes, with record snowfall and now several days of very warm temperatures—just to our south our friends in Utah are in the midst of unprecedented avalanche activity that went from dry slabs to wet almost instantly. Yesterday I experienced one of the larger spring snowpack collapses I’ve had in quite some time - a signal of the lack of refreezes and buried weaker snow. My point is to let things simmer down some more before beginning to poke around in avalanche terrain again. Cooler weather and some snow are on the horizon.

Regions covered