Togwotee Pass

The General Avalanche Hazard is MODERATE. Backcountry riders and skiers have the potential to trigger suface and full depth slab avalanches today. The surface slabs can be found in steep wind loaded avalanche terrain to three feet in depth where they lie upon a buried layer of surface hoar, faceted snow, and crusts. Dangerous, full depth slides to five feet involve a very well developed layer of depth hoar and faceted snow that is prominent in the lower portion of the snow pack. USE CAUTION today as predicting instability in these persistent weak layers is difficult and avalanches continue to occur after some slopes have seen considerable traffic. Local bands will support the avalanche center tonight at the 10th Annual Ski Bum Music Festival, a fund raiser held at the Mangy Moose.

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Clear and cold conditions are expected tomarrow with lighter West winds allowing temperature inversions to build, bringing mountain temperatures into the upper teens to low twenties in the afternoon. The general avalanche hazard is expected to be MODERATE throughout the region on Friday although differences exist between the forecast areas. In the Teton area, dense slabs one to three feet could be triggered in avalanche terrain on a variety of aspects by backcountry riders and skiers. The slabs lie upon a layer of surface hoar and faceted snow and could fail even after a slope is has previous tracks. In the CONTINENTAL DIVIDE/TOGWOTEE PASS and SOUTHWEST TRAILS/GREYS RIVER areas, the surface slab hazards discussed above exist. These areas also have a very well developed weak faceted layer at the base of the snowpack that involves aproximately half of the snowpack. This weak is snow is covered by a supportable layer that provides a false sense of security. Many full depth avalanches have been triggered in the recent weeks and the potential continues for them to be triggered on Friday as the snowpack has not gained strength. CAUTION IS ADVISED as both the surface and deep slab instabilities are difficult to predict. Many slopes have been ridden without incident while some fail after a slope has seen significant traffic and others fail upon approach.