John Recchio snowboards through powder at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort on Jan. 10, 2024, in this photograph taken after bitter cold weather gave way to a pattern of storms that excited skiers and riders.

While the snowfall broke a season-starting drought, it also brought high avalanche danger as it piled atop several weak layers in the pack. The deeper dangerous interface formed in November as earth-radiated heat corrupted snowflake structure. The shallower weak layer could be from either surface hoar, frost created during a cold spell in December, or a sun crust.

The Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center issues daily warnings for the Teton, Greys River and Togwotee Pass areas.

An avalanche on Jan. 14 in the hills east of Star Valley killed one skier, David Rice, a musician who had owned a music store in Jackson. The avalanche center and numerous news outlets reported the incident.

The backcountry avalanche danger is such that forecasters are warning about slopes as shallow as 30 degrees and roads and trails that traverse slide runout areas. Travelers can trigger slides from above and below. Developed ski areas reduce avalanche risks by ski-checking slopes and detonating explosives.

The center, in conjunction with the Wyoming State Trails Program, is holding an avalanche class at 6 p.m. today at the Lander Community Center with more instruction to follow Saturday.

Meantime, experts warn skiers, riders and snowmobilers to find a mellow place to recreate and save the steeper slopes for when the danger has faded.

Chris Figenshau, who creates the Photo of the Day for the mountain resort above Teton Village, took the photograph of Recchio and titled it “White room daydreams.”

Angus M. Thuermer Jr. is the natural resources reporter for WyoFile. He is a veteran Wyoming reporter and editor with more than 35 years experience in Wyoming. Contact him at angus@wyofile.com or (307)...

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