Stephen Koch

SITUATION:

Special Information: The Wyoming Department of Transportation will close Teton Pass at 8 A.M. Tuesday for avalanche reduction work. Re-opening time will be dependant on the amount of snow impacting the highway.

An upper level low pressure system brought dense snow, strong winds and very warm temperatures to Western Wyoming Monday. Winds at 10,4000 feet were west-southwesterly at 30 to 40 mile per hour averages with gusts into the 70s. Four to six inches of new snow fell during the day in the Tetons with as much as a half inch of moisture. In the past thirty six hours 6 to 8 inches of new snow have contained one and three quarters inches of water. The Continental Divide/Togwotee Pass area received 1 – 4 inches of snow and the Southwest Trails/Greys River area accumulated 2 – 4 inches. Valley floor temperatures reached into the forties and numerous roof and road cut slides occurred.

Avalanche control work at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort produced numerous hard slab avalanches to five feet in depth and running full track. The Headwall area released a moderate slide then a team used an explosive charge to control a remaining pocket. The charge pulled out most of the remaining headwall and ran to below the restaurant burying three patrolmen briefly after the debris flowed around a ninety degree corner of the building and continuing several yards. During a brief clearing in the weather several large, long crowns from naturally occurring avalanches were reported on northeasterly aspects from 8,500 to 10,000 feet. Most of these slides continue to run on the persistent mid-November crust.

For more information visit: www.jhavalanche.org or call 307.733.2664