This is Matt Lutz of the Sawtooth National Forest Avalanche Center
 with your Backcountry Avalanche Advisory and Weather Forecast for
 Wednesday, January 16, 2008 at 7:30 am.

 Blaine County Search and Rescue & the Friends of the Sawtooth
 Avalanche Center bring you this advisory.

 Special Announcement:
 Due to technical difficulties there will not be an internet audio
 advisory available today. Sorry. The hotline phone line is working.

 Bottom Line:
 Today the avalanche danger is estimated to be CONSIDERABLE on wind
 loaded slopes and MODERATE on non wind affected slopes. Yesterdays
 strong northwest wind event moved copious amounts of snow around at
 higher elevations. Todays forecast calls for continued moderate winds
 out of the north which will likely lead to continued wind slab
 formation on southwest, south, southeast and east aspects.

 Faceted layers buried within our snowpack continue to be a concern.

 For each of the last 7 days we have received reports of either human
 triggered or natural avalanches that have failed on faceted snow
 layers. Slope by slope evaluation, conservative decision making and
 use of low angle terrain should remain a priority.

 Primary Avalanche Concern:
 
 
 
 
 Yesterday our forecast area saw widespread strong winds out of the
 northwest. This wind event moved snow around at all elevations and had
 a significant impact on higher elevation exposed slopes and
 ridgelines. Extensive wind slabs formed on southwest, south, southeast
 and east facing ridgelines and exposed slopes. Today the weather
 forecast is calling for continued moderate winds out of the north and
 this will likely lead to further wind slab formation.

 I toured in the Baker Creek headwaters yesterday and saw evidence of
 four wind related natural avalanches, 2 of which were thumpers. (See
 photos below) Three of the 4 were on solar aspects and all of them
 looked as if they were only hours old. The wind was depositing snow on
 lee aspects so rapidly that it overwhelmed the faceted layers within
 the snowpack. I estimate that the 2 deeper slabs that released were
 likely three to four feet deep.

 As you travel today, be on the lookout for newly formed wind slabs.

 Recent natural avalanches, cracking, whumpfing, and hollow sounding
 supportable slabs are good indicators of terrain you dont want to be
 on or underneath.

 Secondary Avalanche Concern:
 
 
 
 
 In the South and Central Valley faceted/sugary layers are buried
 approximately 1 to 2 feet deep. Additionally they are widespread on
 all aspects and at all elevations. Any steep slope or slope that has
 had recent wind deposited snow should be considered suspect.

 In the North Valley, Smoky Mountains, and Sawtooth Mountains these
 faceted/sugary layers are not as widespread but remain a concern.

 Large grain facets against the ground can be found in many locations
 and are now between 4 to 5 feet. Small grained near surface facet
 layers are buried between 2 to 3 feet deep and are distributed more
 sporadically. You should be looking for these layers as you enter new
 terrain.

 In areas with a deeper snowpack these faceted layers are slowly
 gaining strength which will help us in the long run, but can fool us
 in the short run. This last week stability tests have not been
 alarming or shown us particularly weak layers, but we continue to get
 reports of human triggered and natural avalanches. This type of
 situation demonstrates the limitations of stability tests. During
 times like this, people should be looking for the presence of faceted
 layers within the snowpack as significant red flags and not put a lot
 of stock into strong stability test scores.

 Current Conditions:
 It is cold out there today folks. This morning valley temperatures are
 in the negative single digits and ridge top temperatures are between
 -9 and -11. Ridge top winds are light to moderate out of the
 northwest.

 Low angle sheltered terrain offers very nice soft snow riding
 conditions. Higher elevation northwesterly exposed slopes and
 ridgelines were hammered by the wind yesterday. Most other areas will
 offer good riding options but exposed areas may have a wind skin on
 the surface.

 Mountain Weather Forecast:
 Today no significant weather is expected in the Central Idaho
 Mountains. Temperatures will remain cold with ridge top high
 temperatures around 10 to 12 degrees. Winds should be moderate out of
 the north. High clouds will likely form by late this afternoon as a
 weak pulse of moisture pushes south from the Panhandle. Today no
 precipitation is expected. On Thursday afternoon the Central Mountains
 are expected to see increasing clouds with light snow showers and
 slightly warmer temperatures.