Tetons

The General Avalanche Hazard is CONSIDERABLE at Mid and Upper elevations and LOW at the lower elevations. New snow and Southwest winds have built new soft slabs up to 18 inches deep in wind loaded starting zones and added weight to existing slabs. These slabs have the potential to step down to deeper weak layers, particularly on northeast aspects in terrain that has seen little skier traffic. In addition to avalanche activity reported in the southwestern side of the Tetons, a skier triggered a 3 foot slab on a northeast aspect in Granite Canyon. He was carried full track and sustained serious injuries. This slide path had been skied numerous times before a weak zone was finally encountered. Similar events are probable today.

Moisture from the West will continue to bring light snow to the region Monday night through Tuesday with accumulations of 3 to 6 inches by Tuesday evening. Winds will generally be from the South overnight at 20 to 25 miles per hour then come from the West and increase Tuesday. Temperatures will continue cool with overnight mountain lows in the single digits and daytime highs in the upper teens. In the Tetons and Greys River Ranges the General Avalanche Hazard will be CONSIDERABLE. Winds and new snow will continue to build slabs 1 to 3 feet in depth in lee areas at Mid and Upper elevations. The new snow will increase the chances of releasing slides with older snow that run on buried weak layers. In the Continental Divide/Togwotee Pass area, where less snow has fallen in the last few days, and smaller amounts are in the forecast, the General Avalanche Hazard is expected to remain MODERATE. Surface slabs one to three feet in depth could be released by backcountry travelers in wind loaded starting zones. In addition, mid pack and full depth hard slab avalanches could be triggered by backcountry travelers in areas with buried layers of weak, faceted snow.