(Fremont County, WY) – The Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center has issued an Avalanche Warning for the Togwotee Pass area, effective Wednesday, December 18, 2024. The current avalanche danger is rated as High (Level 4), indicating that both natural and human-triggered avalanches are likely. Backcountry travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended.
“Dangerous avalanche conditions exist,” The Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center writes in its latest release. “New snowfall and increasing wind are stressing a weak and shallow snowpack. You are likely to trigger an avalanche today on steep slopes, especially in wind affected areas. Avalanches can be triggered remotely—from below, above, and to the sides of steeper terrain. Steer clear of gulleys and terrain traps.”
An inch or two of new snow fell in the area yesterday, adding to the existing 29″ of snowpack near the top of Togwotee Pass.
There were two avalanche fatalities in Wyoming last season. The first U.S. fatality of 2024-2025 occurred in Idaho last weekend when a motorized snowbiker was killed in an avalanche in the mountains northwest of Cascade, ID.
The National Weather Service recommends carrying the following gear when recreating in slide-prone areas, in addition to heeding official warnings and advisories:
- Transceiver: so you can be found if covered by the snow
- Shovel: so you can dig out your partner
- Probe: so you can locate someone who has been covered by the snow
More safety information is available from the American Avalanche Center.