An avalanche warning was cancelled at 6 AM this morning, however conditions in the backcountry remain dangerous. Up to seven feet of snow with over six inches of moisture has been added to the snowpack since Saturday. The snowpack remains unstable and is settling at rates of 8 to 12 inches per day to compensate for that load. Patience and conservative terrain choices are essential until the snowpack finishes adjusting to the massive loading that has occurred during the past five days. Large wind slab avalanches involving the recent storm snow and very large persistent slab avalanches could be human triggered in steep terrain. Natural avalanche releases are possible. Very large and destructive slab avalanches could run full path. Today's sunshine could increase the sensitivity of these slides to human triggers and natural releases. Wet slides are possible at the lower elevations. Expert terrain assessment and snowpack stability evaluation skills are essential for safe travel in avalanche terrain.
Dense wind slabs formed by southwest to west winds could be triggered by humans on a variety of aspects. Natural releases are possible. These slabs could be 2 to 5 feet deep at the mid and upper elevations. They could be 1 to 2 feet deep and wet at the lower elevations.
Over six inches of snow water equivalent have been added to a snowpack with persistent weak layers of faceted snow. Very large, deep slab avalanches could be triggered by humans or release naturally on these problem layers. These destructive avalanches could run long distances into the flats. They could be 6 to 10 feet deep at the higher elevations and 2 to 4 feet deep and wet at the lower elevations.
Cloud cover will increase overnight, and some light snowfall could occur. During the day on Saturday, expect a mix of cloudy skies and sunshine along with the chance for light, scattered snow showers. Overnight lows in the mountains will be in the single digits before rising to near 10 degrees in the afternoon. Southwesterly ridgetop winds will range from 10 to 20 miles per hour.Dangerous avalanche conditions exist, and the general avalanche hazard will remain Considerable on Saturday. In steep avalanche terrain above 7,500 feet, skiers and riders will continue to be able to trigger recently developed wind slabs with depths of one to four feet. Deep persistent slab avalanches remain a concern. Large triggers, such as snowmobiles, the release of a wind slab or a cornice drop, are more likely than an individual skier to trigger one of these deadly avalanches. In the mountains, these slabs could range in depth from four to eight feet, with the Tetons on the higher end of the spectrum, and Togwotee Pass on the lower end. Shallow slides involving the recent snowfall, along with persistent slabs up to four feet deep, could be possible below 7,500 feet. Periods of sunshine could increase the likelihood of avalanches during the day, especially at the lower elevations. Conservative terrain choices will be necessary for safe travel in avalanche terrain on Saturday. Great skiing and riding can easily be found in low consequence terrain.
