Northeast winds are expected to increase with today’s cold front. Be wary of fresh wind loading on atypical aspects and in unusual locations. Wash your hands of this developing threat by riding in terrain where the snow is soft and sheltered from wind. 

Winter has returned, along with winter avalanche problems. Watch for recently drifted snow on the down-wind sides of ridges and on the sidewalls of chutes. Assess how well slabs are bonding before committing to bigger terrain. Shooting cracks in dense drifts, and tender cornices should raise your hackles.

Looking for trouble? You can find it where new snow and wind are building drifts on leeward terrain. You can trigger fresh slabs that break more than a foot deep and slide on slick crusts. You'll find them on steep, exposed areas below growing cornices, and on cross-loaded features. Blowing snow and shooting cracks are red flags that you’ve found the most dangerous slopes. If safer and better riding conditions are more your thing, stick to sheltered, lower-angled terrain.

Looking for trouble? You can find it where new snow and wind are building drifts on leeward terrain. You can trigger fresh slabs that break up to 18 inches deep and slide on slick crusts. You'll find them on steep, exposed areas below growing cornices, and on cross-loaded features. Blowing snow and shooting cracks are red flags that you’ve found the most dangerous slopes. If safer and better riding conditions are more your thing, stick to sheltered, lower-angled terrain.

Enjoy generally stable avalanche conditions today. A melt-freeze crust currently blankets most of our snowpack with some cold, dry snow still available on upper elevation, north-facing slopes. Continue to be mindful of overhead cornice hazard and assess for small pockets of wind drifted snow at upper elevations.

Isolated pockets of danger can be found on leeward slopes where the wind has drifted snow into freshly formed wind slabs. These slabs will be most common below ridgelines and on crossloaded terrain features further downslope. Continue to be wary of overhead cornice hazard as a cornice fall alone can be consequential. Keep it simple, avoid being directly below cornices, and steer around the pillowy looking slabs of drifted snow. 

Enjoy generally stable avalanche conditions and mild weather today. You'll find a melt-freeze crust at the snowpack surface on most slopes, with some cold, dry snow remaining on upper elevation, north-facing slopes. If you seek out this colder snow, be mindful of overhead cornice hazard and small, isolated wind slabs that formed last night. 

Look for and avoid the isolated slopes where small dry and wet snow avalanche hazards linger. Those include steep, leeward start zones and chutes near ridges and summits, where you might find a hard slab of drifted snow that refuses to stabilize. And steep, low-elevation slopes where near-surface snow hasn't completely refrozen, or crusts break down during sunny periods this afternoon. Ride one at a time with a full set of avalanche safety gear, to minimize the consequences of surprises.

Cornices continue to weaken in this period of prolonged warm weather. Keep an eye on ridges above you, and scoot out from under slopes topped by looming lips of hard, drifted snow. Wet avalanches remain a concern in steep terrain that is slushy from warm temperatures and sun or receives rain on dry snow today. Near the Continental Divide, the weather elves may deliver more snow than forecast, so be wary of freshly-formed slabs of drifted snow at upper elevations. 

Where it feels like winter today, you can trigger small but potentially dangerous slabs of drifted snow at upper elevations. Cornices continue to weaken; don't dawdle below these, and stay well back on ridges. Wet avalanches remain a concern in steep terrain that is slushy from warm temperatures and sun, or receives rain on dry snow today.

Don’t lollygag below cornices: multiple unseasonably warm days without an overnight refreeze are weakening the roots of the sagging, van-sized lips parked precariously on ridgelines.  Wet avalanches remain a concern in steep terrain that is slushy from warm temperatures and sun or receives rain on dry snow today.

The avalanche danger will rise to Moderate as unusually warm weather will increase the chances of large cornice falls.  Reduce your exposure below cornices as temperatures climb.  If you see active rollerballs or pinwheels, move to colder snow for safer, higher quality riding.  

Unusually warm weather will increase the chances of large cornice falls, and hard wind slabs linger in alpine terrain.  Reduce your exposure below cornices as the day warms up; they can trigger slab avalanches below.   If you see active rollerballs or pinwheels, move to colder snow for safer, higher quality riding.  

Strong winds and new snow are increasing the danger.  Dense, textured snow that cracks around you means sensitive wind slabs. You can trigger fresh slabs below corniced ridges and on the sidewalls of chutes. Small slabs may develop further down slope than usual, and even in normally sheltered areas. Watch for snow blowing onto the most hazardous slopes. Avoid spending time below large cornices. Avoid wind-load slopes with terrain traps below such as cliff bands and dense trees.