CONDITIONS REPORT - 23 JAN 2022

 

View of the east face of Shadow, north side of 25 Short, and Buck Mtn. 1.22.22

Check out the Grand Teton-specific snow and avalanche discussion from the Bridger Teton Avalanche Center:

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center (jhavalanche.org)

Despite the early December drought layer, stable conditions persist and almost no significant avalanche activity has been reported recently. The caveat to that is the few inches which we received around 1/20, which briefly increased the hazard at higher elevations in leeward terrain. 

This new snow may be implicated in an accident on 1/22 in the Sliver on Nez Perce. A skier booting the couloir fell nearly the length of the couloir after reportedly being hit by a small slab or sluff from a rider above. The skier was extremely fortunate to escape with only minor injuries, and this incident highlights both the seriousness of even the smallest slides in big, steep terrain, and the importance of awareness of and consideration for other backcountry travelers around you. 

Enjoy the high pressure and stable conditions, but keep it safe and remember, Low Hazard is far from No Hazard. 

See you in the hills!

HAPPY NEW YEAR'S - CONDITIONS UPDATE - JAN 10, 2022

 

View of 10,696 from skier's summit of 25 Short. 1/9/22

Since our last blog update, winter has arrived to Grand Teton! With a couple large storms coming around Christmas and the beginning of January, we've seen a major increase in skier and backcountry traffic here in the park. As the blue skies are coming out and the avalanche hazard rating goes down, don't let yourself get carried away! Though it's becoming unlikely to trigger (read: unpredictable), there is a now-deeply buried weak layer, the 'Dec 5' layer, that has the potential to release with severe consequences if it does. 

Please check out the park-specific discussions on the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center website at the link below:

Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center (jhavalanche.org)

Lots of great (and safe) skiing is out there to be had... Enjoy the good snow and good weather, and we'll see you in the hills!