Avalanche — Salt River & Wyoming Ranges, Wyoming

2024-01-14 · Salt River & Wyoming Ranges, Wyoming

Event narrative

From Bridger-Teton National Forecast Avalanche Forecast Staff: On January 14, 2024, at approximately 11:30 AM, a skier unintentionally triggered an avalanche on a mid-elevation (8,500'), northwest-facing, sparsely treed slope above an indistinct gully on the Northwest Face of Little Poudre Mountain. This large, soft slab avalanche filled a relatively narrow path. The weak snow layer formed during a prolonged dry period in December that was buried by approximately 30' of snow falling during a series of storms that began on January 4th. The avalanche broke approximately 50' wide and 1-3' deep and entrained more snow along the flanks of a shallow gully. The avalanche fell approximately 600 vertical feet. The slide path is one of several sparsely wooded avalanche paths on the northwest face of Little Poudre Mountain that run the full 1,200' length of the face. This avalanche was one of the dozens reported in the region during a particularly active avalanche cycle. The skier was killed in the avalanche. No other individuals were injured or killed. Please see avalanche.org for the full event report.

Wider weather episode

On January 14, 2024, at approximately 11:30 AM MST, a skier unintentionally triggered an avalanche on a mid-elevation (8,500'), northwest-facing, sparsely treed slope above an indistinct gully on the Northwest Face of Little Poudre Mountain in Lincoln County Wyoming. The skier was killed in the avalanche. No other individuals were injured or killed.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1158056. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.