This is Chris Lundy of the Sawtooth National Forest Avalanche Center
 with your Backcountry Avalanche Advisory and Weather Forecast for
 Monday, February 25, 2008 at 7:30 am.

 Bottom Line:
Today the avalanche danger is estimated to be MODERATE. Yesterdays
storm did not bring enough snow to cause the expected increase in the
avalanche danger. Today watch for slopes along upper elevation
ridgelines that were loaded by yesterdays wind. It will be possible to
trigger shallow surface slabs where more than about 8 inches of snow
accumulated on the old snow surface, but avalanche activity within the
storm accumulation will primarily be in the form of wet and dry loose
snow sluffs.

 Primary Avalanche Concern:


 

 

 

 The avalanche danger did not climb as high as expected yesterday.

 There, I said it. I could blame any number of factors, such as
 difficult to interpret new snow totals and a storm that quit as soon as
 I posted the advisory. But Im paid the big bucks to deal with such
 difficulties so no excuses.

 The storm that began Saturday night and petered out yesterday morning
 did not produce enough snow to cause a significant increase in
 avalanche danger. The area around Bald Mountain seemed to pick up the
 most from the storm, while even across the valley near Morgan Ridge and
 Proctor I found significantly less new accumulation. In most locations,
 there is not enough snow sitting on the old snow surface to form a
 slab. Areas that received the greatest snow accumulation may have 8
 inches or more sitting atop sugary surface facets, and it may be
 possible to trigger shallow surface slabs on steep slopes.

 In most places, avalanche potential within the storm snow will be
 limited to loose snow sluffs of the wet or dry variety. With any bit of
 sun that pokes out today, the new snow will get moist and it will be
 possible to have natural or triggered wet slides running on the
 underlying crust. On steep, shady slopes yesterday, I found I could get
 dry sluffs to run in the powdery new snow, and I would expect more of
 the same today.

 Secondary Avalanche Concern:


 

 

 

 The southerly winds that accompanied yesterdays storm transported the
 new snow onto upper elevation, northerly facing slopes. On Proctor and
 Titus Ridge, I found drifts 1-2 feet deep but they did not seem to be
 very sensitive. Still I would use caution today in steep, leeward
 terrain as it may be possible to trigger one of these soft wind slabs.

 Current Conditions:
 Yesterdays storm favored our southern mountains with 8-12 inches
 falling in the Central and South Valley. The greatest accumulations
 appear to have occurred on Baldy and to the south and west, including
 the area around Soldier Mountain. Further north, the Galena Summit and
 Sawtooth regions picked up about 6-8 inches, with less snow falling on
 the far northern reaches of the Sawtooth Mountains.

 Ridgeline winds tapered off yesterday morning and have been averaging
 5-15 mph from the west. This morning mountain temperatures are in the
 upper teens to low 20s, and its 26 degrees in Ketchum.

 Mountain Weather Forecast:
 The weather will remain unsettled today with partly to mostly cloudy
 skies and a chance for a few snow flurries. This evening clouds should
 begin decreasing as high pressure builds into the area for Tuesday.

 Temperatures in the mountains should reach highs in the upper 20s to
 low 30s, and the valley will see the upper 30s. Ridgeline winds should
 continue at 5-15 mph from the west shifting to the northwest later
 today.