The triggering of avalanches remains a possibility in the upper elevations in the Togwotee area. The snowpack structure is poor and wrought with weak, faceted snow. Watch for areas of stiff, consolidated surface snow in steep avalanche terrain. Feeling the snowpack collapse or witnessing deep shooting cracks indicates unstable snow and slopes with these conditions should be avoided. The crew at B-TAC wishes all a Happy and Safe Christmas Day and Holiday Season.
Persistent slabs at the upper elevations could be triggered in steep terrain where cohesive snow lies over a weak snow base. These slabs could be soft or hard and have depths to as much as three feet. These slabs have become unlikely at the mid elevations except for in isolated pockets in the steepest terrain.
The Togwotee area has good snow coverage for December, however it has recieved significantly less snowfall than the Teton or Southwest Trails areas. Weak snow formed during a dry and cold period in November and during many dry or low snow periods that have followed during the last several weeks. Although the snowpack structure is poor and could not support heavy loading, storms have been trickling in and the formation of dense surface slabs have been minimal. Identifying where cohesive slabs lie above the weak basal layers is the best way to avoid the lingering slab hazard.
