Summary of Avalanche Conditions for Saturday, February 4th

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 07:30:00 -0700

Forecaster: Simon Trautman
Brought to you by Sun Valley Company and the Friends of the Sawtooth Avalanche Center.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:
We are winding up the 6th Annual Avalanche Awareness Week.

There is a free Avalanche Rescue Clinic today from 1-3pm at the Avalanche Rescue Training Park at Baker Creek Trailhead. This will be a great opportunity to practice with your beacon, demo a new one, and learn the basics of avalanche rescue.

The 15th annual Friends Fundraiser, the Best of Banff Film Festival & Incredible Raffle, continues tonight at the NexStage Theater in Ketchum. Doors open at 6pm for a social hour with refreshments and food; the films begin at 7pm. As usual, the Friends will be raffling off an incredible array of amazing prizes, including skis, backpacks, showshoes, avalanche gear, a custom liner and orthotics package, clothing, and tons of gift certificates to local businesses. All tickets go back in the pot for the grand prize, a day of heli skiing for two! Raffle tickets are available at the event, and at Backwoods and the Elephants Perch.

This year's raffle prizes: http://www.sawtoothavalanche.com/docs/Raffle_Prize_List_2012.pdf
Check out this year's film list: http://www.mountain-fever.com/ketchumfilms.html
View this season's film trailer: http://youtu.be/DHDGv1RR2v4

Film tickets are available in advance at Backwoods, the Perch, or Chapter One.

SUMMARY OF AVALANCHE CONDITIONS BY ZONE:

North Wood River Valley & Salmon Headwaters: The avalanche danger is MODERATE. Although the likelihood is decreasing, it remains possible to trigger a deep and dangerous avalanche on a layer of facets buried 2-3 feet deep. The greatest risk exists in very steep, alpine-type terrain where trigger points such as shallow and rocky areas are more common. When making decisions, remember that the consequences of triggering one of these deep avalanches is dire. Watch for recent and older wind slabs in upper elevation, exposed terrain. These may remain sensitive, or may be adding additional weight to buried weak layers.

South & Central Valley: The avalanche danger is MODERATE on mid to upper elevation shady slopes. Although the likelihood is decreasing, it remains possible to trigger an avalanche on very weak, sugary snow buried 1.5-2 feet deep. This poor snowpack structure is more pronounced in the Central Valley, but also exists in the South Valley on slopes that had pre-existing snow prior to the mid-January storms. The greatest risk exists on slopes steeper than 35 degrees, especially those with recent or past wind loading.

Sawtooth Mountains: The avalanche danger is MODERATE. Although the likelihood is decreasing, it remains possible to trigger a deep and dangerous avalanche on a layer of facets buried 3-4 feet deep. The greatest risk exists in very steep, alpine-type terrain where trigger points such as shallow and rocky areas are more common. When making decisions, remember that the consequences of triggering one of these deep avalanches is dire. Watch for recent and older wind slabs in upper elevation, exposed terrain. These may remain sensitive, or may be adding additional weight to buried weak layers.

Soldier Mountains: The avalanche danger is MODERATE. Although the likelihood is decreasing, it remains possible to trigger a deep and dangerous avalanche on a layer of facets buried 3-4 feet deep. The greatest risk exists in very steep, alpine-type terrain where trigger points such as shallow and rocky areas are more common. When making decisions, remember that the consequences of triggering one of these deep avalanches is dire. Watch for recent and older wind slabs in upper elevation, exposed terrain. These may remain sensitive, or may be adding additional weight to buried weak layers.

For the full Avalanche Advisory visit sawtoothavalanche.com

Sawtooth National Forest Avalanche Center

Summary of Avalanche Conditions for Saturday, February 4th