Tetons

At upper elevations eighteen inches of new snow in the past 24 hours has been drifted by southwest winds into easily triggered or naturally releasing soft slabs to three feet in depth. The new snow rests on good sliding surfaces of sun crusts or buried surface hoar. The snow is light density but has added strain to the deep, hard slab instabilities that plague the region. These poorly supported slabs that also exist at mid elevations could fail to the ground and may be triggered by new snow surface slides, a single person, and more likely a snowmobile even after a slope has been crossed multiple times. At the mid and low elevations sloughs could build to dangerous size in steep areas and terrain traps. TRAVEL IN AVALANCHE TERRAIN AT UPPER ELEVATIONS IS NOT RECOMMENDED TODAY.

Periods of light snow or flurries are expected Tuesday with mountain temperatures in the mid to upper twenties. Winds will be southwesterly along the exposed ridges at 15 miles per hour.With each snowfall event this season the strain increases on the weak layers deep in the snowpack or at ground level. During or following each event there have been a series of near misses, partial burials or deaths. Similar events must be expected Tuesday. The chance for backcountry travelers to trigger dangerous, hard slabs will continue and the general avalanche hazard is expected to be CONSIDERABLE. Some of the slides have been on steep, open slopes while others have been in relatively protected areas with small slidepaths. Yesterday a snowmobiler was buried near the Murphy Creek Drainage north of the Greys River. Fortunately he was able to thrust a gloved had to the surface and was recovered with minor injuries.