The Bridger-Teton National Forest has issued a temporary closure of the Teton Pass area to human presence to allow the Wyoming Department of Transportation to do thorough avalanche control.

“The temporary closure is necessary to provide WYDOT with a safe area clear of any recreationists to address the substantial snowpack,” said Mary Cernicek, public relations officer for the Bridger-Teton. “By doing so, the threat to Wyoming Hwy 22 is hopefully mitigated allowing for safer passage between the Jackson valley and Idaho. By closing the area to human presence, the blasting work can be accomplished with the assurance that no one will get caught in the targeted areas.”

The closure is effective immediately and encompasses all of Trail Creek and Bridger-Teton National Forest to the top of the pass on the Bridger-Teton Side in Wyoming.

“This closure on the Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming side of the pass will remain in effect until all avalanche mitigation activity is completed,” Cernicek said. “At this time, it is expected that those operations will conclude by midnight on Saturday, March 2, 2019.”

Teton Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 8,431-feet, located at the southern end of the Teton Range along the Wyoming-Idaho border. The road is Wyoming Highway 22 and Idaho State Highway 33. The maximum grade on the road is 10 percent.