This is Chris Lundy with the Sawtooth National Forest Avalanche Center with General Snow 
and Weather Information on Friday, April 3, 2009.

This is our last update of the season. Thanks for supporting the Avalanche Center and have 
a great spring! Please note: The latter part of this advisory has springtime avalanche advice.

April 3rd Snowpack Conditions:

The mountains north of town received another coating of snow on Thursday, with 2-4 inches 
falling in the Galena Summit area and 6-10 inches over the hill in the Salmon Headwaters 
and Sawtooths. While the winds weren't anything like they were earlier in the week, they 
still blew strong enough to transport the recent snow accumulations.

Most people that are still getting into the backcountry are heading north of town, where 
the snowpack is as winter-like as it ever was. With several storms over the past few weeks 
providing new snow and wind, lately we've been most concerned with sensitive wind slabs and 
storm-related instabilities. On Wednesday, skiers remotely triggered a sizeable wind slab 
avalanche above Titus Lake from the low-angled ridgeline. Another group in the Galena Summit 
area on Thursday reported lots of recently-formed wind slabs and large cornices, and felt it 
was prudent to steer clear of both.

Warming temperatures and sunshine this weekend will lead to increasing avalanche danger, 
especially on sunny aspects. There is a healthy amount of recently-fallen snow that has yet 
to see the sun, and when this happens this weekend, we will almost assuredly get some natural 
avalanche activity. These could be in the form of slab avalanches or the newer snow sluffing 
off old crusts. Either way, you'll want to plan your route so you're not traveling on or 
beneath steep, sunny aspects as the day heats up.

Persistent weak layers still exist in many locations, especially in areas where despite it 
being April, the snowpack remains shallow and weak. New snow and wind last Sunday and Monday 
was enough to result in a large natural avalanche on Gladiator Peak down into Westernhome 
Gulch, and at least part of this slide fractured down into deeper weak layers near the ground. 
In general, old facet layers are deeply buried and remain dormant, but this slide is a reminder 
that we can't forget about them entirely. With new loading this week, and warming temperatures 
over the weekend, you'll want to use extra caution on steep, rocky slopes where the snowpack 
remains variable and shallow.

Mountain Weather:

A ridge of high pressure will move into our region on Saturday, finally bringing something 
resembling spring weather. We should have sunny skies, and temperatures will increase each 
day through at least Monday. Ridgeline winds should remain light through the weekend.

April 5 UPDATE
I am very sorry to be updating this information with news of an avalanche fatality Sunday 
afternoon, April 5th. Our deepest sympathy goes to friends and family.

We do not have much information at this point, as the avalanche center is closed for the season 
and does not have staff on. We do know it was a large avalanche on a north facing, high elevation, 
steep rocky slope at the head of the west fork of Norton Creek. One snowmobiler was buried 
4 to 6 feet deep, located with beacons by members of his party but did not survive. 

I'd like to emphasize to all backcountry travelers to be very cautious in any steep, rocky 
terrain for the remainder of the season, particularly at upper elevations. Our long mid winter 
dry spell created very weak snow near the base of the snowpack and it will remain possible to 
trigger a large, destructive avalanche in areas where the weak snow persists. Due to much wind 
accompanying our spring storms, extremely variable snow depths cover the weak layer.

Shallow areas of snow cover increase the risk of the weight of a person or machine collapsing the 
weak underlying snow and triggering a slide. Recent snowfall and warming temperatures also increase 
the risk of triggering a slide on this layer. Tracks on a slope do not mean it is safe.

The best risk management is avoidance of steep rocky terrain for at least several days whenever we 
experience new snowfall, especially when followed by spring sunshine or warming temperatures. In 
addition, we expect a large avalanche cycle at upper elevations when we begin to experience 
sustained overnight temperatures above freezing.

Janet Kellam