Avalanche forecast

Tetons

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago.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

Highlights

Use caution on steep slopes where you find evidence of windblown snow. A lingering storm is creating fresh drifts that could be easily triggered. These will be most common at upper elevations, where enough windblown snow is sitting on slick crusts on many slopes. Generally safe avalanche conditions exist in wind-sheltered terrain or where the snowpack surface is frozen hard. Be aware that many slopes may be icy.  

Avalanche problems

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

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

    Hard slabs 3-5 feet thick overlay weak snow that formed earlier in the season. Shallow, rocky, and unsupported terrain on the north half of the compass is where this problem has been most active. It is currently unlikely that a human would trigger one of these slabs. Larger triggers, like cornice fall or surface snow avalanches (i.e., wind slabs or wet avalanches), can impact weak layers buried deeply in the snowpack and initiate a much larger avalanche. Furthermore, an extreme loading event or a prolonged period above freezing has the potential to impact these layers. 

    (3/5/2024)

    A very large persistent slab avalanche failed during the early March storm cycle. This terrain characterizes where this problem is most active: very steep, unsupported slopes near cliffs.

    Photo: Dan Hayes

  • Wind Slabs

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

    New snow and wind are creating fresh wind drifts at upper elevations that you could easily trigger. The past 48 hours have delivered around 8 inches of snowfall to the Tetons' upper elevations, favoring the range's east side and northern end. Snow will move easily on the old snow surface, and conditions at middle and low elevations with less snow will be icy. Winds remain northwesterly, so expect to encounter this problem primarily on the south half of the compass at upper elevations. This is not a widespread problem but think about the consequences of taking a ride in a small avalanche before committing to a slope. If you head into the wind slab's natural habitat—upper elevation, wind-exposed terrain—look for evidence of windblown, such as stiffer snow, drifted pillows, and rippled snow texture. 

Avalanche Discussion

As new snow continues to be transported onto various weak or slick snow surfaces, give yourself a proper buffer with this problem. Enough fresh snow has fallen to keep your tips up and your head on a swivel. All too often, we think of smaller snow amounts or wind slab problems that frequent the forecast all season as "manageable," problems we can mitigate, especially when we compare them next to their scarier persistent slab brethren.  This can lead us to a default state of unwarranted optimism—"Oh, avalanches aren't that likely"—only to get unpleasantly surprised. The best way to manage this is by treating any uncertain snowpack—even smaller amounts of new surface snow— like an unstable snowpack. Upper-elevation slopes on the south half of the compass (yes, even those above 10,500 feet) should be guilty of this problem until proven innocent by your personal data-collecting process. As backcountry travelers, we are avalanche avoiders, not mitigators. The odds of an unpleasant surprise increase exponentially the more we view ourselves as being in the latter's boots. 

TL;DR: Pack the extra gloves and jacket today for winter's chilly return. Before heading out, consider the terrain you've chosen and whether or not the avalanche problem lives there. If you find evidence of this problem, consider having an appealing Plan B that makes any uncertainty easy to call. 

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