Highway Workers to Close Teton Pass to Trigger Avalanches
Wyoming Department of Transportation officials plan to close a highway so they can deliberately trigger avalanches on a mountain pass.
Avalanches closed Wyoming Highway 22 over Teton Pass on Thursday. One slide trapped a delivery truck but nobody was hurt.
The department plans to close the pass again at 3 a.m. Tuesday.
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.
Enter your number to get our free mobile app