Teton Pass was closed to cars in both directions for about an hour on the morning of Tuesday, Oct. 27, due to winter conditions and multiple crashes westbound from Wilson.
Teton County Sheriff Matt Carr said cars were sliding off the road in the soft snow, but no major collisions had been reported.
Multiple sheriff’s deputies who have been patrolling the pass for safety joined a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper in responding to the scene, he said.
The closure is the first weather-related pause of the season and comes two weeks before the corridor, which tops out at an elevation of 8,400 feet, closes seasonally to trailer traffic from Nov. 15 to April 1.
Carr put deputies on pass patrol following two fatal collisions this summer from vehicles descending 10% grades near Wilson. About 8,000 vehicles traverse the route on a given day, according to Wyoming Department of Transportation’s Director Darin Westby. Light snow is forecasted for Thursday, too, with highs in the mid-40s.
Drivers with RVs, trailers or vehicles over 10,000 pounds must now have a WY22 Safe Pass online certification from WYDOT to take the route. More than 3,000 commuters have been certified since the program launched Oct. 1, the state said.
