This is Matt Lutz of the Sawtooth National Forest Avalanche Center with
 your Backcountry Avalanche Advisory and Weather Forecast for Wednesday,
 March 5, 2008 at 7:30 am.

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

 Bottom Line:
 Today the overall avalanche danger is estimated to be LOW. Without
 any significant storms in the last 3 weeks the snowpack in our forecast
 area has generally stabilized. The small storm two nights ago dropped
 up to 6 inches of snow is some locations in our northern terrain and
 was accompanied by moderate westerly winds. Small isolated wind slabs
 created during the storm have caused the hazard to move to MODERATE
 along northeast, east and southeast facing upper elevation ridgelines.

 Primary Avalanche Concern:

 
 

 

 

 The Galena Summit area, Salmon Headwaters and Sawtooth Mountains
 received the most snow out of the storm two nights ago. These areas saw
 around 4 to 6 inches of new light density snow. The storm was
 accompanied by moderate westerly winds. New wind slabs were deposited
 along upper elevation easterly facing ridgelines. These small isolated
 slabs are only 4 to 8 inches deep and are relatively easy to spot.

 While worth mentioning these slabs are not all that hazardous. If you
 find yourself in steep, rocky, or committing terrain keep your eyes
 open for these features and ski cut any wind slabs or pillows.

 Secondary Avalanche Concern:

 
 

 

 

 This is a great time to get into the mountains and explore. The recent
 stable weather has allowed our snowpack to stabilize nicely. There are
 a few concerns within the snowpack that we are tracking but these
 issues will not become a problem until we get a significant
 precipitation event or repeated nights without a freeze.

 As you get into bigger country and commit yourself to more complex
 terrain be sure to use good mountain travel techniques. These
 techniques include having appropriate safety equipment, exposing only
 one person to a slope at a time, avoiding gullies, not loitering under
 large overhanging cornices, and using good communication within your
 group. Get out there and have fun.

 Current Conditions:
 Ketchum is under clear skies and has a temperature of 12 degrees. Upper
 elevation ridgelines have temperatures between 5 and 10 degrees with
 light northwest winds.

 Upper elevations and shady aspects currently have excellent soft snow
 riding conditions. Solar aspects have a few inches of dust on a mostly
 supportable crust.

 Mountain Weather Forecast:
 We will be under the influence of high pressure for the next few days
 and can expect continued stable weather. Today will be mostly sunny
 with upper elevation daytime high temperatures around 19 to 24 degrees.

 Winds should be light out of the north and will decrease in intensity
 and shift more westerly by tonight. Thursday will be about 10 degrees
 warmer than today.

 Tip for the day:
 Today do something nice for someone else.