Avalanche forecast

Togwotee Pass

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
No rating
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Layers of weak snow are buried in the upper 2' of the snowpack and near the ground. Triggering an avalanche involving this weak snow is possible, particularly in steep, wind-loaded terrain. Make your terrain selection accordingly and be alert to the consequences of being caught in a slide where you are traveling. You can significantly decrease your likelihood of triggering an avalanche by sticking to lower-angle terrain and avoiding well-connected steep slopes and terrain traps.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1.5–2.5
    1. Weak layers that formed during the month of February are now buried ~2' deep. These layers have produced avalanches across most of our forecast area, and continue to produce avalanches at Togwotee. The pattern of activity outlined by these avalanches points to these layers being most unstable on slopes that face the sun, where they are accompanied by crusts, but they have also produced slides on shaded aspects.
    2. A pile of large-grained, weak snow exists near the ground in this zone. You are more likely to trigger slides on the weak layers higher up in the snowpack, but any slide triggered on this deeply buried weak snow is likely to be unsurvivable.

    As days pass with only small amounts of new snowfall, the snowpack is getting some time to rest, which will gradually decrease the likelihood of triggering an avalanche on these weak layers. However, the possibility of triggering a slide here will be on the table for some time to come. If you choose to enter avalanche terrain, be alert that at least one of these weak layers almost certainly exists in the snowpack underneath you. Even as the danger decreases we continue to advise cautious and conservative terrain selection. Be alert to the consequence of being caught in a large avalanche in the terrain you are recreating in.

    Mocassin Basin 9500' E aspect

    Photo: Cory Beattie

Avalanche Discussion

Nine times out of ten, I can recall mishaps in life that have all boiled down to errors in communication. This is all the more true in avalanche country. Communication is a skill that has to be practiced and practiced a lot. We are not objective listeners, and you could park a sideways-sliding semi-truck off Teton Pass in the amount of space some backcountry partners leave open to interpretation. I err on the side of being a chronic questioner because questions can build a knowledge base, enhance our understanding of a problem, and improve situational awareness. Asking questions and requiring communication also makes us vulnerable to the questions and skepticism of others, but it's worth taking that step and building some ask-tell-share protocol into your backcountry travel, whether on foot or track.   

As new snowfall continues to refresh skied-out lines and cool overheating engines, and we continue exploring larger pieces of terrain, remember to keep practicing this skill, both with your partners as well as other parties. Effective communication holds the potential to mitigate nearly every issue we encounter in the backcountry. But don't take it from me, a good additional read as we edge more into an ever-snowier spring: The Ten Common Missteps of Avalanche Professionals. 

Spoiler alert: #1 is a lack of effective communication

Regions covered