Togwotee Pass

Recent snow and yesterday's strong southwesterly to northwesterly winds have added load to a snowpack that has buried weak layers. Avalanches could occur in the form of shallow, soft wind slabs at the higher elevations or, more likely, as persistent slabs at all elevations. Hard to predict, human triggered avalanches are possible today and could be triggered remotely. Cautious route finding and conservative decision making is the surest way to avoid this lurking danger.

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )A ridge of high pressure will be over the area tonight and through Wednesday. Expect morning fog and inversion conditions with valleys starting out near or below zero and mountains starting near ten degrees. Highs in the mid-twenties are forecast for all elevations. The general avalanche hazard will be Considerable above 7500 feet in the Southwest Trails and Teton areas and Moderate below that elevation. In the Togwotee Pass area, the danger will be Moderate. Wind slabs and persistent slabs could be triggered in all areas. The recently formed wind slabs could have depths to two feet at higher elevations. The chance for human triggered avalanches involving persistent weak layers of faceted snow exists at all elevations. Although less likely to initiate, very large hard slab avalanches could be triggered at higher elevations with depths to five in the Teton and Southwest Trails areas and to three feet in the Togwotee Pass area. At mid and lower elevations, the triggering of avalanches by a single person is more likely but they will also be smaller in size, particularly at the low elevations.