Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

The General Avalanche Hazard is CONSIDERABLE. Strong winds Monday night created stiff, deep drifts in lee areas. The wind packed snow after Monday's warm and now cool temperatures will make it more difficult to trigger slides but any avalanches are likely to be large and dangerous involving the new and old snow. Widespread natural activity two or more days old indicate deeper instabilities continue on steep slopes that have not yet slid. Conservative decisions and good terrain evaluation and route finding skills are essential for safe travel in avalanche terrain. At low elevations strong winds also created some areas of wind slab to eighteen inches in depth on lee and cross-loaded areas that could be human triggered.

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Light snow is forecasted for the mountains Wednesday with 9,500 foot elevation high temperatures in the low twenties. Winds along the summits will be southwest to westerly at 25 to 30 miles per hour.Strong winds moved available snow to develop large drifts in lee areas. The cooler temperatures and firm surface snow will make it more difficult to trigger slides but resulting avalanches are likely to be large and very dangerous. The general avalanche hazard will be CONSIDERABLE in the Tetons, Greys River/Southwest Trails and Continental Divide/Togwotee Pass areas. Conservative decisions regarding route selection are essential for safe travel in avalanche terrain. Steep open slopes and areas with snow deposition from wind or cliffs should be avoided.