Salt River and Wyoming Ranges

The General Avalanche Hazard is HIGH today. New snow and very strong, drifting winds continue to build sensitive slabs up to six feet deep. Large, dangerous slides involving the new and old snow, will continue to be easily triggered, naturally and by backcountry travelers. Yesterday a large slide was triggered on the Headwall at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. The slide debris turned a ninety degree corner, travelled several yards and caught three patrollers who were briefly buried but uninjured.Similar conditions exist in the Southwest Trails/Greys River area. At low elevations warming temperatures will increase the chance of slides in steep areas like road cuts and roof tops. TRAVEL IN AVALANCHE TERRAIN IS NOT RECOMMENDED.The Wyoming Department of Transportation will close Teton Pass at 8 A.M. for avalanche mitigation.

( Discussion is generated from the previous day's afternoon forecast. )Another burst of snow is forecasted for Monday evening with up to four inches of snow in the mountains. Tuesday will be drier and cooler with a chance of light snow and morning lows in the single digits and daytime highs in the teens. Winds will taper Monday evening from southwesterly at 20 m.p.h. to westerly at 15 to 20 Tuesday. Continued new snow and strong winds will maintain the general avalanche hazard at HIGH in the Tetons and Greys River/Southwest Trails areas. Large dangerous natural and human triggered avalanches are likely. It may be more difficult to trigger slides with colder air temperatures but we have not seen significant stabilization over time with this snowpack. TRAVEL IN AVALANCHE TERRAIN IS NOT RECOMMENDED. The general avalanche hazard in the Togwotee Pass/Continental Divide areas will be CONSIDERABLE. Dangerous human triggered slab avalanches and natural avalanche activity are possible. Conservative decisions regarding route selection are essential for safe travel in avalanche terrain.