Avalanche danger on the rise in Idaho & Utah
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)-The Sawtooth Avalanche Center has issued an avalanche warning for the entire region. Forecasters say danger will increase rapidly today with both human-triggered and natural avalanches as a winter storm picks up speed.
Avalanches were triggered Saturday in Mill Gulch behind Smiley Creek Lodge and in the Alturas drainage. No one was caught in either slide.
The Wasatch/ Utah avalanche center in Salt Lake City has issued a back country avalanche watch, including the Wasatch Mountains in southeast Idaho. The danger level could rise to high overnight.
The center took the action based on forecasts for heavy snow combined with drifting from strong winds. Together, the conditions create widespread areas of unstable snow. Both human-triggered and natural avalanches could become likely. People should stay off of and out from under slopes steeper than 30 degrees.
Conditions were in the “considerable” range in the Gallatin Avalanche Center in Montana.
In the Bridger-Teton range, conditions were moderate around Togwotee Pass Monday and “considerable” in western Wyoming and eastern Idaho.
Conditions may change rapidly, so check in before you go.
Utah Avalanche Center
Bridger Teton Avalanche Center
Gallatin Avalanche Center
Sawtooth Avalanche Center
