Avalanche forecast

Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Today, the wet snow avalanche hazard will increase with the daily warming. Temperatures are about 5 degrees warmer than yesterday and are expected to climb above freezing by the afternoon. Clear skies and below-freezing temperatures overnight formed crusts on the snow’s surface and decreased the avalanche hazard to Low this morning. As warm air and direct sunlight break the crust down, it will be possible for skiers and riders to trigger small wet avalanches on steep slopes. Also, slopes prone to glide crack avalanches should be avoided and large cornices could fail. Wet slides have the potential to entrain snow and have dense, destructive debris. As the snow surfaces become wet and lose cohesion, they can quickly change from stable to unstable. Although unlikely, large persistent deep slab avalanches remain a potential threat. Due to the substantial consequences of being involved in one of these dangerous slides a conservative approach to steep, suspect slopes is warranted. Backcountry travelers should monitor the wet snow conditions as even a small slide could have severe consequences if a person is swept off a cliff, down a couloir, or into a terrain trap.

Avalanche problems

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    2–3

    Although these dangerous slides are unlikely, some potential remains for backcountry travelers to trigger deep persistent slab avalanches on buried layers of faceted snow. A larger trigger like a snowmobile, a cornice drop, or the release of a wet slide may be necessary to trigger one of these deep slab avalanches. Previous tracks are NOT a sign of stability and these low probability high consequence slides could be 3 to 5 feet deep resulting in serious injury or death.

Avalanche Discussion

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )The high-pressure ridge will exit to the east of the region as a southwest flow aloft sets up over the state for Friday. Then Friday night, a weather system will bring snowfall to the western mountains. Tomorrow morning, temperatures are expected to start out a few degrees warmer than today and rise into the upper 30s and 40s. Skies will be partly cloudy with increasing cloud cover throughout the day. Ridgetop winds will be southerly to southwesterly at 10 to 20 mph. Tomorrow morning in all the forecast areas, the avalanche hazard will start Low and then increase as the day warms. By the afternoon, the avalanche hazard is expected to increase to Moderate. It will be possible for skiers and riders to trigger small wet slides on steep terrain, especially in direct sunlight. These slides are most likely to occur on southerly-facing slopes protected from the wind. The warmer temperatures could also cause cornices to fail. Backcountry travelers should monitor the wet snow conditions as slopes can quickly change from supportable surfaces to wet loose snow. In the Grey’s River and Togwotee Pass forecast areas, lingering deep persistent slab avalanches are unlikely, but there remains the possibility for this low probability high consequence hazard to be triggered by a large cornice drop or the release of a wet slab. Suspect slopes should be avoided.

Regions covered