'Twas the day before Christmas when all through the Ravines not a slab was stirring, not even a pocket.

We have endured the first winter rain on our snowpack and I must say that I am quite pleased. Over the past 24 hours, the Summit recorded .69" (1.7 cm) of rain and Hermit Lake picked up 1.3" (3.5 cm) of rain. Most of the drainages opened up below the Ravines, but generally the Ravines themselves look no worse for the ware. The rain did trigger some relatively small slab avalanches in both Tuckerman and Huntington but there were no impressive slides to report. I observed new activity in South, Pinnacle, the Fan and Damnation in Huntington and, so far, only in Dead End Gully (AKA Empress), Gully #3 and the Sluice in Tuckerman. Overnight the temperatures dove from above freezing to the single digits F. As a result, the snowpack is in the process of setting up into a concrete like mass as all of the free water in the snow freezes solid. Until it fully sets up, expect horrendous travel conditions around the mountain, particularly if you go off the beaten path. Conditions are ideal for post-holing, especially on the lower part of the mountain. If you plan on climbing ice in Huntington be aware of the potential for ice dams. With lots of free water running yesterday followed by a rapid freeze I would expect to find ice dams in most gullies.

As far as stability issues go today, there isn't much to talk about. After temperatures fell below freezing, the precipitation changed to snow and the Summit recorded .5" (1.3 cm) of new snow. High winds have blown this snow into the Ravines and the Lip currently has a thin veneer of new snow in it that may harbor an isolated pocket to be wary of. The one thing that stands out to me that warrants watching is the potential for upslope snow today. Moisture seems limited so I am not expecting much but if you notice it is snowing and accumulating, heads up! Strong W and WNW winds will be ideal for loading any new snow into the Ravines and just a couple of inches of new snow can be enough to create unstable slabs.

The John Sherburne Ski Trail is open with continuous snow from top to bottom. You may need to visit your dentist after skiing or riding it due to the freeze up. THE LION HEAD WINTER ROUTE IS NOW OPEN. This is a steep and challenging route for mountaineers. Crampons, an ice axe and the ability to properly use this equipment are recommended for safe travel on this route.