Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

The General Avalanche Hazard is CONSIDERABLE. New snow and Southwest winds have built new soft slabs up to 12 inches deep in wind loaded starting zones and added weight to existing slabs. These new slabs could step down to older slabs one to three feet deep or the older slabs could be triggered directly. In some areas layers of weak faceted snow persist within and at the base of the snowpack. On steep slopes these weaknesses present the potential for mid pack and full depth hard slab avalanches to be human triggered. In addition to avalanche activity reported in the southwestern side of the Tetons, a skier triggered a 3 foot slab on a northeast aspect in Granite Canyon in the backcountry near the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. He was carried full track and sustained serious injuries. Similar events are probable today.

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )A disturbance is forecasted to move through the region Sunday night and into Monday. In the Teton and Greys River areas, four to six inches of new snow is possible by Monday morning, with an additional 2 to 4 inches of snow accumulating during the day. The Togwotee Pass area could see 2 to 4 inches of new snow by Monday afternoon. Southwest ridgecrest winds at 15 to 25 mph are expected to increase to 25 to 35 mph, and veer to the West by early Monday morning. Overnight lows in the mountains are projected to dip to near 10 degrees before rising into the low 20s during the day on Monday.The General Avalanche Hazard in the Teton and Southwest Trails/Greys River areas is expected to rise to CONSIDERABLE by Monday morning. New snow and strong Southwest winds will build new soft slabs in wind loaded staring zones and add weight to existing slabs. These slabs, up to four feet in depth, could be easily triggered by backcountry travelers on Monday, and carry strong consequences if failure occurs on deeper layers.In the Continental Divide/Togwotee Pass area, where less snow has fallen in the last few days, and smaller amounts in the forecast, the General Avalanche Hazard is expected to remain MODERATE. There, surface slabs one to three feet in depth could be released by backcountry travelers in wind loaded starting zones. In addition, mid pack and full depth hard slab avalanches could be triggered by backcountry travelers in areas with buried layers of weak, faceted snow.