Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

Dangerous avalanche conditions exist. Wind slabs formed over the last week could be easily triggered by riders or skiers at all elevations and all aspects today. Once triggered these slabs could cause the failure of persistent deep slabs that lie upon weak snow near the base of the snowpack. On Tuesday a snowboarder died in large avalanche with a three foot crown on the Pyramid which is located just to the south of Jensen Canyon in the Tetons. Known avalanche paths and their run out zones should be avoided and safer, low angle, conservative terrain should be the focus of backcountry travelers.

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Periods of light snow or flurries are possible in the mountains this evening as the system moves to the east. By morning valley fog is expected on the east side of the Tetons and in Star valley. Mostly clear skies are expected above the low cloud layer although some mountain top clouds could linger. Temperatures are to rise from the teens to the mid to upper twenties. Northwest winds are to have ten to twenty mile per hour averages overnight. The general avalanche hazard is expected to be Considerable in the Teton and Southwest trails areas and Moderate in the Togwotee Pass area where significantly less snow has fallen during the past week. Winds slabs will still be easily triggered in steep wind loaded terrain with depths to three feet at higher elevations. The chance also continues for large dangerous avalanches to occur above 7500 feet where weak snow persists at the base of the snowpack. Large triggers such as the triggering of a surface avalanche are the most likely events to cause their failure. In areas where that weakness is less buried these slabs will be easier to trigger. A cautious approach is needed when dealing with rapid loading events such as has occurred over the last seven days.