This is Chris Lundy of the Sawtooth National Forest Avalanche Center
 with your Backcountry Avalanche Advisory and Weather Forecast for
 Sunday, February 10, 2008 at 7:30 am.

 The Twin Falls District Bureau of Land Management & the Friends of the
 Sawtooth Avalanche Center bring you this advisory.

 Bottom Line:
 Today the avalanche danger is estimated to be MODERATE. The
 likelihood of triggering a slide is decreasing, but steeper slopes
 should still be evaluated carefully. Facet layers buried about 1-2
 feet deep are widespread in the South and Central Valleys, especially
 at low to mid elevations where the snowpack remains shallow. In our
 northern mountains, the snowpack is generally deeper and stronger, but
 a worrisome facet-crust combination remains buried 2-3 feet deep on
 southerly facing slopes.

 Wind slabs that formed over the past several days are showing less
 sensitivity, but should still be avoided, especially in our southern
 mountains where they may be sitting atop weak, faceted snow.

 Primary Avalanche Concern:
 
 
 
 
 Facet layers that formed in mid-January continue to be a concern in
 many areas. Southerly facing slopes throughout our region continue to
 be most suspect, where a facet-crust combination can be found about
 2-3 feet deep. In the South and Central Valley, faceted snow above the
 ground continues to be a concern on many slopes, especially at low to
 mid elevations. Shady slopes in our northern mountains seem to have
 the best stability, except in shallow pockets where weak, punchy snow
 still exists.

 Yesterdays very warm temperatures caused a spike in the avalanche
 danger, and a few natural avalanches released due to daytime heating.

 Two of these near Gladiator Peak released on faceted snow near the
 ground in steep, rocky terrain. Now that we are through the worst of
 the warming, we can breathe a sigh of relief and realize that in the
 long term yesterdays heat did more good than harm.

 Todays weather should bring a few more clouds and slightly cooler
 temperatures, and the snowpack will be feeling a lot less stress than
 it did yesterday. The warm temperatures are helping to strengthen
 buried facet layers, but unfortunately they have not magically
 disappeared. As long as they are present, it will remain possible to
 trigger a slide and steeper terrain should be carefully evaluated.

 Additional Snowpack Discussion
 Strong winds over the past several days have created widespread wind
 slabs along exposed ridgelines. Yesterdays warm temperatures helped
 glue these down in many locations, but I would still avoid them if
 possible, especially in our southern mountains where they may be
 sitting atop weak, faceted snow.

 Current Conditions:
 Brainless powder conditions are no more. I was just getting used to
 the concept of finding perfect powder on every slope without having to
 think about it. Recent winds, and especially yesterdays heat, mean
 youll actually have to give some thought to where you ski or ride. Any
 slope that got sun yesterday will be heavy, wet, or crusty today, so
 upper elevation, northerly aspects will be the best bet.

 Mountain weather stations reported high temperatures in the low to mid
 30s yesterday, but anyone who was standing in the sun can tell you
 that it got much warmer than that. Winds yesterday decreased in the
 afternoon, but have begun to increase again this morning, blowing from
 the west-southwest.

 Mountain Weather Forecast:
 A minor disturbance in the persistent northwest flow over our region
 will bring a few more clouds and slightly cooler temperatures than
 yesterday. Temperatures will be very dependent on the cloud cover, but
 expect mountain highs in the upper 20s to near freezing. A high near
 35 is expected in Ketchum. Ridgeline winds are forecast to blow 15-25
 mph from a westerly direction.