This is Janet Kellam of the Sawtooth National Forest Avalanche Center
 with your Backcountry Avalanche Advisory and Weather Forecast for
 Saturday, December 22, 2007 at 7:30 am.

 The Sawtooth Society in partnership with Idaho's SNRA Mountain Goat
 license plate program & the Friends of the Sawtooth Avalanche Center
 bring you this advisory.

 Bottom Line:
 Today the avalanche danger is estimated to be MODERATE with areas
 of CONSIDERABLE danger on slopes approximately 35 degrees or
 steeper.

 We have an extremely variable snowpack. Considerable danger will be
 found where we have one of several different conditions. In the
 Central and South Valley it will be steep, wind loaded slopes with
 very weak snow beneath 1-2 feet of recent snowfall and wind blown
 snow.

 In the North Valley and other outlying regions with a deeper overall
 snowpack, the greatest danger will be in high alpine terrain or
 beneath exposed ridgelines where wind loaded slopes are found or in
 very steep, rocky areas where weak and punchy snow lies beneath our
 recent snowfall.

 There is also a concern for soft surface slabs of 8 to 10 inches or
 more of recent snow which may still be triggered on very steep
 terrain. Isolated reports indicate these soft slabs may be much deeper
 and more widespread in the Sawtooth Mountains.

 Primary Avalanche Concern:
 
 
 
 
 Yesterday morning an extensive new avalanche cycle from Thursday
 night's wind event was visible in high alpine terrain in the Boulder
 Mountains. Other regions may also have been affected, especially
 further north where we have received more new snow. Wind slabs along
 Titus Ridge did not appear to be very sensitive yesterday and the
 fresh wind deposits may have gained strength. Id still urge caution in
 any steep wind loaded area. The slabs may be soft or hard. The
 distance some of these avalanches propagated indicates faceted snow
 may be involved beneath the newer snow and continued caution is the
 recommended action for steep terrain.

 A couple natural slides released yesterday afternoon up the south fork
 of Soldier Creek and were reported by Soldier Mtn Ski Patrol. They
 appeared to be caused by additional wind loading and a cornice
 breaking off.

 Secondary Avalanche Concern:
 
 
 
 
 Throughout the Central and South Valley, and in isolated areas where
 we have deeper snowpacks, very weak snow lies at the base of the
 snowpack. Especially in steep, rocky terrain. It remains possible to
 trigger a slide on steep slopes with this condition. I did not trigger
 any slides yesterday along Titus Ridge, but I did have one smaller,
 weak slope crack and collapse over a foot deep into this weak layer.

 Reports from the Sawtooths and Williams yurt indicate more than 2 feet
 of newer snow is poorly bonded to an ice crust. Avalanches observed in
 this area are breaking at the deeper ice layer and within the newer
 snow. Collapsing and whumphing of the snowpack continued yesterday in
 this area.

 WEEKEND NOTES:
 Conditions are improving in some deeper snowpack areas, but due to
 such a variable snowpack & uncertainty as to overall stability,
 evaluate each area and slope you travel to on a case by case basis.

 Safe travel protocol is essential with these conditions. One person on
 a slope at a time, carry rescue gear and be able to perform a fast,
 successful rescue.

 Current Conditions:
 Soft and more supportive powder conditions exist in sheltered areas.

 Slopes exposed to the north and west are now wind crusted. Sunny
 aspects are staying soft. Trail breaking is still deep but not as
 difficult.

 The wind stayed out of the northwest, averaged only 10mph but stronger
 gusts did continue to transport snow along and beneath exposed
 ridgelines. Upper elevation weather stations show some gusting
 20-25mph this morning. Temperatures remained quite cool all day
 yesterday. This morning upper elevations are warmer than the valley
 floor with Baldy reporting 17 degrees on top. Titus is 5 degrees the
 valley floor is minus 4 and Stanley minus 14.
 Mountain Weather Forecast:
 Today, the Winter Solstice, promises to be a very nice day. A clear
 morning should turn into high clouds as a weak weather system brings a
 chance of light overnight snow, an inch at most. Sunday night and
 Monday a winter storm is expected to bring more snow and wind.

 Temperatures will be warmer today. Early morning temperatures at upper
 elevations are already the 24 hour high. Expect to see temperatures
 rising over 20 degrees on Baldy and near 30 degrees on the valley
 floor. Winds will be light out of the northwest but there may be gusts
 in the teens & around 20mph at high elevations.

 Sorry-No audio today on the internet, sound problems.