Soft slabs lie on a variety of aspects above 8000 feet. These slabs were formed by recent snow and strong winds that varied greatly in direction during and following this week's storm. Loose snow sloughs could also be triggered today in very steep terrain. Identify surface conditions and terrain carefully in order to avoid these avalanche concerns. Normal caution is advised at the lower elevations where avalanche activity is unlikely except for in isolated pockets in very steep terrain.
Slab avalanches could be human triggered on a variety of aspects at the mid and high elevations. These slabs could have depths between six inches and two feet.
Expect partly cloudy to mostly clear skies along with inverted temperatures on Saturday. Overnight lows in the mountains will be in the low single digits before rising into the mid teens during the day. The valleys will plummet to near negative 10 before rebounding into the mid teens in the afternoon. Northwesterly ridgetop winds will range from 15 to 25 miles per hour.The general avalanche hazard is expected to be Moderate above 8,000 feet on Saturday. There, backcountry travelers venturing into steep, wind-loaded terrain could trigger similar wind slabs to today’s events. Slab depths are expected to range from 6 to 24 inches with the Togwotee Pass area on the shallower end of the spectrum. Sluffing of the recent snowfall will also be possible on slopes not affected by the wind. The chance remains for skiers and riders to trigger full depth avalanches on northerly aspects above 9,000 feet in the Togwotee Pass forecast zone. While these persistent deep slab avalanches are unlikely in the Greys River area, they still warrant mention due to their severe consequences.
