Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

The General Avalanche Hazard is MODERATE. Two instabilities exist. Pockets of surface slabs a foot in depth, lie on crusts and wind packed snow and could be triggered in steep avalanche terrain. At the base of the snowpack a thick weak layer persists that could fail, resulting in larger avalanches. Although less likely to trigger than the surface slabs, these avalanches are likely to have severe consequences, and could be initiated as one of these surface slabs runs, or by a rider hitting a weak spot even after the slope has been ridden many times.

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )As the current system passes through, cold air is expected to enter the area from the North, resulting in continued snowfall through Thursday afternoon, adding an additional 4-6" to the mountains. Light winds are expected to veer to the North Thursday, while the cold airmass should keep temperatures in the teens.The General Avalanche Hazard is expected to be MODERATE Thursday. Additional light snow, and light winds will increase the surface slab depths to over a foot. Pockets of these surface slabs could be human triggered in steep terrain and carry enough volume to sweep a skier or rider over a cliff edge or burry him in a terrain trap. Large slabs could also be triggered on an old persistent weak layer, particularly in the Togwotee and Greys River areas. These dangerous large slides are less likely to trigger and very hard to predict as they could be released after a slope has been ridden many times.