Tetons

The General Avalanche Hazard is MODERATE at Mid and Upper elevations and LOW at Lower elevations. Warm, sunny conditions could bring shallow, wet loose sloughs from rocky areas on steep southern exposures. Pockets of old surface slabs up to two feet in depth rest on buried surface hoar and suncrusts in steep areas. Starting these slides will require larger triggers: more than one person on a slope or the third or later traveler. Avalanches are unlikely but not impossible in the shallow snowpack at lower elevations. Monday a skier in Grand Teton National Park tirggered a hard slab at 7500 feet on the steep Teton Fault scarp.

High pressure will continue to provide clear skies and just above freezing mountain highs, with the chance for valley fog in the morning. 5-15 mph West winds are expected. The General Avalanche Hazard in the CONTINENTAL DIVIDE/TOGWOTEE PASS and SOUTHWEST TRAILS/GREYS RIVER areas will be MODERATE on Thursday. The possibility continues for backcountry riders and skiers to trigger small surface slabs as well as full depth avalanches at the base of the snowpack. These avalanches will become more sensitive in the afternoon as temperatures rise and the possibility of triggering these deep instabilities increases.The General Avalanche Hazard in the TETON area will continue to be MODERATE on Thursday. Human triggered shallow surface slabs as well a remote chance of triggering slabs 1-3 feet deep are possible. Expected above freezing afternoon temperatures will increase the chance of triggering these slides as well as provide the possibility of small shallow wet loose slides.