Tetons

Pockets of surface slab up to two feet in depth exist in steep upper elevation avalanche starting zones. Yesterday fresh slab avalanche activity was observed on a steep southeast aspect in No Name Canyon and on a southwest aspect of Taylor Mountain. These events may have been triggered by wind loading associated with strong northwest winds. On Tuesday afternoon soft surface slabs were skier triggered on east-southeast and west aspects on the west slope of the Tetons. These events have failed on firm bed surfaces and in at least one case on buried surface hoar. Backcountry users who venture into steep wind loaded avalanche starting zones could trigger surface slabs up to two feet in depth today. The potential for humans to trigger these slabs will increase as the day warms.