Bulletin d’avalanche

Togwotee Pass

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Danger d’avalanche

Sat
Alpin
3 · Marqué
Limite forestière
2 · Modéré
Sous la limite
Sans niveau
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Périmé — ce bulletin a expiré 3 years ago. Vous consultez des conditions passées, pas le bulletin en cours.

Points saillants

Weak snow buried 1-3 feet deep above hard slabs has created dangerous avalanche conditions. Steeper slopes above 35° in the upper elevations will be where triggering an avalanche will be most likely. Stay conservative as the consequences of triggering an avalanche remain high, especially near terrain traps above trees, large creeks, or gullies. 

Problèmes avalancheux

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Likely
    Taille
    1–2

    Hard slabs 1-3 feet deep lie above weak layers formed during prolonged drought conditions in December. Simply explained, the snowpack structure is garbage. We’ve got very weak snow above hard slabs. A dangerous combination. The highest likelihood of triggering an avalanche will be on N and E aspects where the most natural avalanche activity occurred. As weak layers slowly trend less reactive, triggering an avalanche on steeper slopes above 35° in the upper elevations across all aspects will still be likely today. Below 9000’, avalanches are still possible but less reactive and not as consequential due to a shallower snowpack.

    (1/20/2024)

    This avalanche depicts the terrain to avoid that is very steep and dangerous. 

    Photo: Matthew Tousignant

Avalanche Discussion

Not Your Typical Winter

Over the last week I’ve spoken with local, longtime residents in each of the forecast zones about how they’ve seen avalanches this January break on slopes that typically did not in years past. Dig down in the snowpack at Togwotee and you’ll see the very obvious reason why avalanche conditions remain dangerous. The facets are very weak, the surface hoar is well preserved, and the slab is hard (1F). The good news is that the chances of triggering one of these avalanches becomes less each day. The bad news is this process of the snowpack stabilizing takes time while the consequences of triggering remains the same.  Avalanches occurring in atypical terrain such as treed slopes or remotely are becoming less likely, but still possible. Keep your eyes on those steeper slopes where avalanches could break wide and around terrain traps where even smaller avalanches can have severe consequences. 

 

Régions couvertes