Bulletin d’avalanche

Togwotee Pass

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
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Danger d’avalanche

Mon
Alpin
2 · Modéré
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

Triggering a large avalanche is on the low end of the spectrum today.  While unlikely, the possibility remains and consequences of triggering are high. Steep north facing upper elevation terrain is the most likely place to trigger an avalanche 1-3 feet deep today. Shallow pockets of newly formed wind slab less than a foot in depth may be encountered in steep terrain in isolated areas west of the Divide.

Problèmes avalancheux

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    Weak snow buried 1-3’ deep remains problematic in the Togwotee Pass forecast zone. While it has been 2 weeks since the last significant loading event, the snowpack still holds the potential to produce avalanches large enough to injure or bury a person. Shallow snow coverage not only makes riding difficult but it also carries the potential to amplify the consequences of getting caught and carried. Consider the possible consequences of getting caught prior to committing to steep terrain.

    New snowfall over the past 24 hours is in the 3-7” range, with the highest amounts on the west side of the Continental Divide.  This new snow is not enough to change the overall stability of the snowpack.  Despite this minor load, be on the lookout for areas that received the higher end of new snow, particularly on steep wind loaded features in the upper elevations. In these areas expect shallow pockets of soft slab to be no greater than a foot in depth and only an issue in terrain where getting knocked off your feet will push you into terrain traps such as cliffs, trees and gullies.

    (12/21/2023)

    Here is a good example of the terrain where triggering a persistent slab is most likely. 

    Photo: Alex Drinkard

Avalanche Discussion

The snowpack is highly variable in this zone.  Strong winds over Thanksgiving and then within the following days stripped some slopes to bare ground and built large slabs on others.  The general theme of the snowpack on Togwotee is shallow and weak, much like the other forecast zones.  What is less variable is a weak layer of snow 1-3 feet below the surface. This layer formed during an extended dry period in November.

During the month of December dry conditions have been the norm.  Clear and cold conditions helped to form another layer of weak snow.  Facets and surface hoar has been observed to be widespread on terrain on the north half of the compass. Crusts can be found on steep south facing terrain.  This layer is now covered with a small amount of new snow from yesterday's showers. While the new snow is not enough to be an avalanche concern, it will be important to keep track of this December drought layer as it gets buried by any new snow.

Régions couvertes