Togwotee Pass

The general avalanche hazard is CONSIDERABLE. Surface slabs to a 18 inches in depth from the storm ending Monday could be triggered on the back side of high, wind exposed areas. The new snow has increased the strain on dangerous hard slabs that rest on a base of weak, faceted snow, and could fail to the ground. Surface slides, a single person, and more likely a snowmobile, could trigger these avalanches even after a slope has been crossed multiple times. Monday a skier was caught and carried, at times under the surface, in Grand Teton National Park. He was uninjured but lost gear. Saturday, a snowmobiler was killed by a 3 to 4 foot deep hard slab avalanche in the Big Holes, west of Victor, Idaho and another was buried in the Greys River area. He was able to thrust a hand out and was recovered with minor injuries. The chance to trigger these types of events persists with the current snowpack.