Dangerous avalanche conditions exist in the backcountry. Wind slabs formed during during a strong storm system that brought heavy snowfall and strong winds earlier this week. These slabs can be found at all elevations, but will be both larger and more sensitive at elevations above 8500 feet. At higher elevaions, a chance also continues to trigger full depth avalanches on certain aspects. Do not allow sunny skies to impair good decision making. Careful snowpack evaluation and cautious route finding are essential today.
The chance continues for backcountry travelers to initiate very large and destructive deep slab avalanches that could involve the full depth of the snowpack. The weak snow associated with this problem exists on northwest through northeast aspects above 9000 feet.
Recent heavy snowfall that was accompanied by strong southwest to west winds have formed dense surface slabs in steep avalanche terrain at all elevations. These slabs lie upon widespread faceted snow formed during last weeks cold period and remain sensitive in many areas. These slabs could have depths to three feet at higher elevations, and eighteen inches at lower elevations.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )High pressure and inversion conditions will continue on Saturday. Morning temperatures will be just below zero on the summits with valley temperatures closer to twenty below. Morning fog is expected to develop and lift by noon. The general avalanche hazard will be rated as Considerable at higher elevations in the Togwotee Pass and Teton areas and Moderate at lower elevations. All elevations in the Southwest trails area will be Considerable. Recently developed surface slabs can be human triggered at all elevations and on a variety of aspects. These slabs will have greatest slab depths at higher elevations and in the southern part of the region where depths could reach five feet. In the Tetons, slabs of one to three feet are expected. Deep hard slabs continue to have some potential to fail to large triggers, particularly in the Togwotee Pass area.
