Yesterday a skier remotely triggered several hard slab avalanches on a steep northerly aspect of East Angle Mountain. These slabs failed on faceted snow at the base of the snowpack with crown depths that ranged from 18 to 36 inches deep. Similar events could human triggered today on very steep rocky slopes that face north at the upper elevations. The general avalanche hazard is MODERATE above an elevation of 9,000 feet and LOW below that elevation where mostly stable conditions exist.
Humans who venture onto steep north facing slopes above an elevation of 9,000 feet could trigger hard slab avalanches with crown depths to three feet. These hard slabs are most likely to be triggered in rocky areas where faceted snow persists at the base of the snowpack. Trigger points are likely to be areas where the snow cover is thinner.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )A weak weather system rapidly moving from west to east will bring clouds and the chance for snow flurries to the mountains. These clouds should dissipate early in the afternoon on Tuesday. Temperatures will drop into the 20s overnight and rise into the 30s during the day. Winds along the summits will be westerly at 10 to 15 miles per hour with higher gusts.The general avalanche hazard is expected to be MODERATE in the Togwotee Pass area where human triggered hard slab avalanches could be triggered to depths of three feet in steep, rocky, north facing terrain above an elevation of 9,000 feet. The general avalanche hazard is expected to be LOW in the Teton and Greys River areas. In those areas mostly stable snow exist and avalanches are unlikely except in isolated areas on northerly aspects above an elevation of 9,000 feet.
