Togwotee Pass

The general avalanche hazard is MODERATE today. Unstable soft slabs up to three feet in depth formed by west winds exist in avalanche prone terrain. These slabs could be triggered today on steep wind loaded aspects and not necessarily by the first rider on the slope. Once triggered they could pull out deeper layers of weak faceted snow especially in the starting zones of major avalanche paths. A snowmobiler died in an avalanche in the Smiths Fork area of the Salt River Range late Monday afternoon. He was the fifth rider down an avalanche path when he triggered a two foot deep soft slab on an east aspect at an elevation of 8,700 feet. Similar events have been triggered in the Tetons and Snake River Ranges on a variety of aspects and elevations.