This site provides maps that delineate the location and text that provide a brief description of alanche hazards that could impact the maintained winter trail system in Western Wyoming. These trails he been designed to oid most alanche prone terrain, however in some places they cross beneath known alanche paths, steep hillsides and/or steep banks that sometimes alanche.
Most alanches occur during and immediately after storms, especially those accompanied by high winds and/or extended periods of intense snowfall. Rapid warming and rain on snow events are also red flags for alanche activity. The following web sites are excellent sources of information for people who trel in alanche terrain.
Avalanche Basics -US Forest Service, National Avalanche Center Online Avalanche Class - Teton Grity Research The Avalanche Encyclopedia - National Avalanche Center and The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Forecast Center
Daily alanche hazard advisories are issued for the mountainous areas of Western Wyoming by the Bridger-Teton National Forest Avalanche Center at jhalanche.org. These advisories are posted twice daily from early November to mid April.
Trail Avalanche Hazard RatingsThis project has mapped the potential hazard to trails using the following color scheme. These ratings only apply to the immediate area of the groomed or maintained trails. In some areas dangerous slopes exist immediately adjacent to safe sections of this trail system.
Black - Sections of the trail system where alanche are not expected .
SOME HAZARD - Sections of the trail system where dangerous alanches are possible.
GREATER HAZARD - Sections of the trail system where dangerous alanches occur on a more frequent basis or where infrequent alanches with very serious consequences are possible.
Avalanche Hazard FeaturesMajor Slidepath - Generally larger steep topographic features that can alanche across a section of the trail system
Minor Slidepath - Generally smaller topographic features such as open hillsides and steep banks that can alanche onto or across a section of the trail system.
Terrain Traps are topographic features that could cause a small volume of alanche debris to accumulate to significant depths or dangerous features that could harm a person who was swept into or over them. Examples are creek bottoms, v-shaped gullies, cliffs, trees and rocky areas.
Wyoming State Trails Avalanche Hazard project
The maps are split between two areas - the Continental Divide and Southwest trails in the Greys River area.
Continental Divide Overview
Southwest Trails Overview
Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center - 307-739-2607 - Email Us