Bollettino valanghe

Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
Vedi sulla mappa

Pericolo valanghe

Mon
Alta quota
3 · Marcato
Limite del bosco
3 · Marcato
Sotto il limite
1 · Debole
Open full map
Non aggiornato — questo bollettino è scaduto 2 years ago. Stai vedendo condizioni passate, non il bollettino in corso.

In sintesi

New snow has created surface slabs that produced avalanches yesterday in the Salt River Range. Crusts that were formed during the warm, sunny weather earlier this month are buried and may fail with the storm slabs. Watch for changing conditions as weather comes in today and use caution around areas loaded with new snow.

Problemi valanghivi

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alta quota
    • Limite del bosco
    • Sotto il limite del bosco
    Probabilità
    Likely
    Dimensione
    1–2

    Storm slabs are formed by new snow that generally hasn’t been moved around too much by the wind. They often fail at the interface of new and old snow but can involve deeper layers. Today we expect instabilities on the surface to behave more like storm slabs. Wind slabs are still a potential hazard in certain terrain features where loading continued yesterday. There were reports of storm slab avalanches in the Salt River Range yesterday.

    Simple tests like hand shears can give you a lot of information on how new snow is bonding (or not) with older surfaces. Shooting cracks that fail from your skis are indicators of storm/wind slabs. These avalanches can feel “reactive” or “touchy” and often surprise skilled/professional riders and skiers.

    (3/31/2024)

    Multiple avalanches were observed and triggered, failing within the new snow between 7,000 and 9,000 feet, on multiple aspects up Prater Canyon. 

    Photo: Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center

Avalanche Discussion

The deep persistent slab avalanche problem has been removed from the forecast today. Weak snow continues to linger at the base of the snowpack and it is no longer expected to produce any activity. However, this does not mean deep slab avalanches are impossible. The last reported human-triggered avalanche in the Greys forecasting zone that involved the buried weak layer at the base occurred March 9 on the far eastern side of the Wyoming Range. For more information on this problem and travel advice for deep persistent slabs, see previous forecasts in the archive. 

The top 3 feet of the snowpack has a mix of weak layers that could produce avalanches in mid and upper-elevation terrain. Also, multiple weak layers and crusts were formed during the March dry spells. You can feel for the presence of buried crusts by probing into the snow. New snow is expected in much of the Greys zone today and will likely continue to produce avalanches. While today’s storm isn’t forecasted to have significant winds, the potential for wind transported snow and older wind slabs to linger still exists. Slides involving surface snow may fail deeper onto buried weak layers from earlier this month. Monitor changing conditions carefully today, avoid exposure to terrain traps (features where an avalanche would pile snow especially deep, like gullies), and assess steep slopes before riding on or under them.

If you have read this far, consider taking a moment to help us improve avalanche forecasts! CLICK HERE to take an avalanche forecast survey and be entered into a prize drawing. 

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center, the Avalanche Research Program at Simon Fraser University, and the U.S. National Science Foundation National Center for Atmospheric Research are researching how skiers, snowmobilers, snowshoers, ice climbers, and anyone else who travels in the backcountry interpret avalanche forecast information. Part of this research includes a specific survey to better understand how useful avalanche forecast information is for trip planning. 

Completing this survey will take approximately 20 minutes. Thank you for sharing your feedback to help us improve avalanche hazard communication. 

Regioni coperte