Highway officials close Teton Pass to trigger avalanches

JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) – Wyoming Department of Transportation officials closed Teton Pass so they could deliberately trigger avalanches early Tuesday morning.

Avalanches previously closed Wyoming Highway 22 over Teton Pass on Thursday. One slide trapped a delivery truck but nobody was hurt.

The department closed the pass at 3 a.m. Tuesday to trigger the preemptive slides.

The route is heavily traveled by tourists and Idaho residents who work in Jackson Hole. The pass is also a popular place to ski but no overnight parking will be allowed.

The department uses a variety of methods to release avalanches and prevent dangerous disruptions. Workers fire artillery or blast compressed gas from tubes installed on mountainsides.

Source: Jackson Hole (Wyo.) News And Guide