About Us

The Sawtooth Avalanche Center operates as a private-public partnership between the USDA Forest Service and a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Friends of the Sawtooth Avalanche Center.

The mission of the Sawtooth Avalanche Center is to provide actionable avalanche and mountain weather information for people recreating, working, traveling, or living in south-central Idaho.

We begin issuing daily Avalanche Forecasts in the fall after enough snow accumulates for backcountry on-snow travel, and continue daily Forecasts until mid-April. In conjunction with the Friends of the SAC, we also offer a variety of classroom and field-based educational programs, including instruction targeting youth, backcountry skiers, snowmobilers, residents and workers, and avalanche professionals.

The Forecasting Arm — Forest Service

Avalanche forecasting operations are based at the Ketchum Ranger District of the Sawtooth National Forest. The Forest Service provides infrastructure, equipment, vehicles, office space, management, and wages for three forecasters. In addition to daily Avalanche Forecasts, they issue General Avalanche Information products as needed before and after the daily Avalanche Forecast season. 

The Public Education & Fundraising Arm — The Friends of the SAC

The Friends nonprofit organization raises money to fund approximately 50% of the avalanche center's annual budget. They cover 100% of the cost of the public Avalanche Awareness program, wages for one or two forecasters, overtime expenses for all forecasters, the majority of the snowmobile program capital and operational expenses, all technology and website expenses, remote weather station equipment and expenses, and field and safety gear. The Friends consist of a volunteer Board of Directors and paid staff to manage programs and operations.

Forecast Area

The Sawtooth Avalanche Center forecast area covers approximately 3,200 square miles - over 2 million acres - of south-central Idaho's mountains, including Sawtooth, Boise, and Salmon-Challis NF lands, BLM land, and Idaho state lands. The forecast area is bound by the Middle Fork of the Salmon River to the north and the Camas Prairie and Snake River plain to the south. The forecast area covers portions or all of the Salmon River, Sawtooth, Smoky, Boise, Soldier, White Cloud, Boulder, and Pioneer Mountains.