Yesterday in the Togwotee Pass region, a snowmobiler triggered a significant slide in the Mount Leidy area. Initial reports indicate the rider deployed an airbag and was recovered alive with a hand visible on the surface. Similar sides will be possible today. Warming temperatures and sunlight will increase the sensitivity of these slabs as well as provide the chance for small wet loose sluffs.
Persistent slabs up to three feet deep lie upon weak faceted snow near the base of the snowpack. On some very steep slopes, these slabs could be triggered by riders or skiers even after a slope has been crossed multiple times. As the day warms, these slides will become more susceptible to failure on sunlit aspects.
( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Expect mostly clear skies under a ridge of high pressure on Sunday. Overnight lows will be near 10 in the mountains and zero in the valley as inverted conditions build. Daytime temperatures will rise into the upper 20s up high and mid 30s down low.The General Avalanche Hazard is expected to be MODERATE on Sunday. In the Tetons, the chance for backcountry travelers to trigger pockets of wind slab 6 to 18 inches deep will increase with daytime warming. Persistent slabs up to three feet deep still pose a threat to skiers and riders in the Togwotee Pass and Greys River areas. Daytime warming will increase the hazard on sunlit aspects in the afternoon in these areas also. The general avalanche hazard does not apply to extreme terrain where even small slides can have very serious consequences.
