Tetons

The General Avalanche Hazard is CONSIDERABLE at the Upper elevations and MODERATE at Mid elevations. Eight to ten inches of heavy snow ending Monday came in with strong West-southwest winds. This snow, in addition to several inches from previous days, sits on weak surfaces of faceted snow, that resist bonding, on Northerly aspects and smooth sun crusts on Southerly exposures. Slabs to two feet in depth could be triggered on a variety of aspects with lee slopes the most dangerous. Yesterday in Grand Teton National Park a skier was caught but not buried on a Northeast aspect of Olive Oil in Open canyon and a skier triggered a slide while doing a ski cut in Mile Long couloir (North aspect)in Granite Canyon. The second slide ran 500 feet then stepped to the ground and ran to the creek bottom covering the popular exit traverse. This is the first reported slide that has pulled out the faceted snowpack that exits at Mid and lower elevations. At Low elevations the Hazard is LOW where the snow cover is thin and overnight freezing set-up the wet and rain soaked snow.