Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

The General Avalanche Hazard is MODERATE. A foot of heavy snow yesterday with strong Southwest to Westerly winds have developed soft slabs to two feet in depth in lee areas below ridgecrests and gulleys that could be easily triggered. This new snow, combined with snowfall ending Friday, added weight to existing slabs resting on sun crusts and well developed, weak surface hoar. Triggered surface slabs could dig out deeper and deeper layers with the possibility of pulling out the full snowpack to the ground on a weak faceted base. Five sledders were killed in avalanches in the Northern Rockies Saturday, the nearest at Palisades Peak East of Swan Valley, Idaho. Avoid open slopes over thirty degrees and carry shovels, transceivers and avalanche probes if travelling in avalanche country.