JACKSON, Wyo. — Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center (BTAC) has increased the avalanche danger to high in the Teton forecast area, at high elevations.
BTAC is forecasting that west-southwest winds will increase throughout the day to 20 to 30 with gusts over 40 miles per hour. The high winds may create extensive areas of blowing snow and wind slabs that will gain depth and volume as the day progresses. These fresh wind slabs could be 1 to 4 feet deep and easily triggered by human activity. These wind slab avalanches could step down and trigger a much larger deep persistent slab avalanche. The afternoon avalanche danger will increase to high at elevations above 7,500 feet.
In areas where the snow structure is poor, today’s winds and snow could initiate the failure of very large, deep slab avalanches. These destructive avalanches could run long distances would be un-survivable. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended during periods of high avalanche hazard. Avoid known avalanche paths and their runout zones.
BTAC warns that persistent deep slab avalanches continue to be a serious concern. These dangerous avalanches could be triggered by backcountry travelers or occur naturally. They could also step down from the release of a wind slab avalanche. These destructive avalanches are likely to be 4 and 8 feet deep above an elevation of 7,500 feet and 2 to 4 feet deep below that elevation.
On Wednesday, Feb. 24, a group remote triggered a large slide on Teton Pass on the south-facing aspect of Powdercorn Bowl, near ski lake.
In the past 8 days, there has been an avalanche fatality in each of the three forecast zones. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended during periods of high avalanche hazard.
Read the entire forecast here.
