Tetons

 Dangerous avalanche conditions continue. Backcountry skiers and riders have the potential to trigger avalanches in very steep terrain involving weak snow that is well preserved in the snowpack. Although the likelihood of natural avalanche activity has decreased, the potential for human triggered avalanches is real, including the possibility to trigger them remotely. Cautious route selection is the best way to navigate the current avalanche conditions. 

The dry period in the middle of November provided for widespread facating to occur through the upper portion of snowpack. This weak snow dominates the snowpack in high, north facing terrain and although less abundant, still exists and can be mixed with crusts as aspects become more southerly and as elevation lowers. On top of that weak snow lies last weekend's storm which fell with increasing temperatures and was followed by above freezing temperatures that caused the new snow to become dense and harder for skis to penetrate. In high leeward terrain where snowfall was deepest this warming has done little to affect the buried, thick faceted snow layer however in south facing terrain, particularly at the mid elevations, where less faceted existed, the warm spell has tightened up the snowpack for the time being. Lower elevations, below 7500 had little to no snow before the last storm. Travel remains difficult at the lower elevations and avalanche concerns are minimal.