Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

The general avalanche hazard is CONSIDERABLE. Up to 14 inches of new snow ending yesterday has been drifted by westerly winds into easily triggered soft slabs to two feet in depth. The new snow rests on good sliding surfaces of sun crusts or buried surface hoar. The snow has added strain to the deep, hard slab instabilities that plague the region. These poorly supported slabs could fail to the ground and may be triggered by new snow surface slides, a single person, and more likely a snowmobile even after a slope has been crossed multiple times. On Saturday, near the Murphy Creek drainage north of the Greys River, a snowmobiler was buried but able to thrust a hand to the surface. He was recovered with minor injuries. The same day a snowmobiler was killed by a 3 to 4 foot deep hard slab avalanche in the Big Holes west of Victor, Idaho. Similar events must be expected today.

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. ) Periods of light snow or flurries are expected Tuesday with mountain temperatures in the mid to upper twenties. Winds will be southwesterly along the exposed ridges at 15 miles per hour.With each snowfall event this season the strain increases on the weak layers deep in the snowpack or at ground level. During or following each event there have been a series of near misses, partial burials or deaths. Similar events must be expected Tuesday. The chance for backcountry travelers to trigger dangerous, hard slabs will continue and the general avalanche hazard is expected to be CONSIDERABLE. Some of the slides have been on steep, open slopes while others have been in relatively protected areas with small slidepaths. Yesterday a snowmobiler was buried near the Murphy Creek Drainage north of the Greys River. Fortunately he was able to thrust a gloved had to the surface and was recovered with minor injuries.