PSA: Avalanche Warning
Posted on Thursday, January 1st, 2009
As we hiked toward the top of Snow King around 4 p.m. this afternoon, the wind started picking up. At the summit, I couldn’t see my partner as we put on our skis. Night skiing was perfectly gorgeous once we were out of the wind, but I expect the mountains were – and are – getting hammered as the wind continues to rage.
As a PSA from the warmth of my room, I thought I’d post this afternoon’s Bridger-Teton National Forest Western Wyoming Avalanche Bulletin just in case there are some local readers out there who don’t get it.
Happy New Year, everyone. Be safe out there!
Issued on Thursday January 1 at 5:59 p.m.
SITUATION
AN AVALANCHE WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED BY THE BRIDGER-TETON NATIONAL FOREST FOR THE MOUNTAINOUS AREAS OF WESTERN WYOMING INCLUDING JACKSON HOLE AND STAR VALLEY
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT provided by the Teton County Sheriff’s Department.
During these times of significant avalanche danger, the Sheriff’s Office and Search and rescue would like to remind you that backcountry rescues may be significantly delayed or not possible.
What does this mean to you?
1. A simple broken leg on Teton Pass could mean hours of delay until Search and Rescue can access you with reasonable safety.
2. If you are caught in an avalanche in the backcountry of Teton County, a recovery may not occur until conditions warrant.
The higher elevations of Western Wyoming received about one foot of new snow today. This snowfall was accompanied by 30 to 40 mile per hour winds from the west-southwest that gusted to 66 miles per hour. Temperatures at 9,000 feet started in the teens and rose towards the 20’s as the day ended.
New soft surface slabs up to 18 inches in depth began to form today on wind packed snow and melt-freeze crusts. Deep slab instabilities persist. A dangerous hard slab (HS-AB-5-0-6’) was explosively triggered in the Far Drift Slide Path at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort this morning during avalanche hazard reduction efforts. This large destructive slide failed on a buried rain crust from a southeasterly facing starting zone at an elevation of 10,000 feet and ran full track.
FORECAST FOR Friday January 02, 2009
A strong winter storm will continue to bring moderate to heavy snowfall to the region. The heaviest snowfall will likely occur around midday on Friday and into Friday afternoon as a cold front approaches. Very strong southwest winds will continue and cause whiteout conditions. Temperatures will slowly warm overnight and enough warm air may move in ahead of the cold front to cause areas of rain or a rain and snow mixture in some valley locations.
The general avalanche hazard will be HIGH*. Large new snow slab avalanches up to three feet in depth and dangerous deep slab avalanches up to eight feet in depth are likely to release naturally or be triggered by humans. Large, destructive avalanches could run full track. TRAVEL IN AVALANCHE TERRAIN IS NOT RECOMMENDED.
TREND FOR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
The snow will taper off late Friday night as bitter cold air moves in. By Saturday valley temperatures could drop to 15 to 25 degrees below zero. The avalanche hazard is expected to slowly decrease.
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Extreme: Wide spread areas of unstable snow exist and avalanches are certain on some slopes.
Backcountry travel should be avoided.
*High: Mostly unstable snow exists on a variety of aspects and slope angles.
Natural avalanches are likely. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended.
Considerable: Dangerous unstable slabs exist on steep terrain on certain aspects. Human triggered avalanches probable. Natural avalanches possible.
Moderate: Areas of unstable snow exist. Human triggered avalanches are possible. Larger triggers may be necessary as the snowpack becomes more stable. Use caution.
Low: Mostly stable snow exists. Avalanches are unlikely except in isolated pockets.
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For further information call 307-733-2664. To report an avalanche observation call 307-739-2607 or email us at avalanche@jacksonhole.com.
