TetonSnowInfo

Persistent weak layers of faceted snow buried in the snowpack remain a concern at all elevations. Today, it is possible for skiers and riders to trigger small to very large slab avalanches in steep avalanche-prone terrain. At the upper elevations, where these slabs will be harder to trigger due to their depth and size, the consequences will be much higher as the size of the avalanche could be up to 6 feet in depth. At the mid and lower elevations and in areas where the snowpack is thin, it is more likely for the weight of a single person to trigger an avalanche, and slab depths could be one to 4 feet. Whumphing and collapsing of the snowpack are bullseye indications of instabilities. Careful evaluation of the snowpack and the terrain are essential to safely travel through avalanche terrain.