Huntington Ravine has Considerable and Moderate avalanche danger today. The Escape Hatch has Moderate avalanche danger. Natural avalanches are unlikely and human triggered avalanches are possible. Use caution in steep terrain. All other areas of Huntington have Considerable avalanche danger. Natural avalanches are possible and human triggered avalanches are probable. Be increasingly cautious in steeper terrain.

If you live in Southern New Hampshire or Maine, while digging out from yesterday's storm you may have found yourself daydreaming of doing laps on the Sherburne ski trail or in your favorite secret powder stash. I don't want to burst your bubble, but the storm was much stronger down south and in Maine than on Mt. Washington. At Hermit Lake we recorded 5.3" (13.5cm) of light density (5.3%) snow; in the floor of Huntington we measured 5.5" (14cm). Compared to what we received here, totals on the summit were lower and totals at Pinkham Notch Visitor Center were higher. The variable depths leave us without a very precise measurement of how much snow actually fell in places like the Bigelow Lawn, the Boott Spur ridge, and the Alpine Garden. It's these locations that act as snow collection catchments, where the winds can pick up the snow and blow it into the Ravines. When we get light density snow, as we did yesterday, lower wind speeds are capable of transporting snow. Winds speeds last night and through today will be NW at 30-45mph (48-72kph), which is strong enough to move yesterday's snow into the start zones of both Ravines. Much of this snow has already been transported but we may see additional loading throughout the day, with the greatest deposition in the upper reaches of Tuckerman and Huntington Ravine. It is the expectation of additional loading that has us in the Considerable range today. While all areas posted at Considerable are worthy of respect, it is the greater Lip area that gives us the most heartburn; this includes the Headwall and Sluice. Right Gully is also a concern, particularly the climber's left side where NW winds like to deposit snow. The Little Headwall is posted at Low danger today. Sadly this is because much of it remains an open brook. The Lower Snowfields are posted at Moderate today, although I wouldn't necessarily want to have a picnic in the runout of the Duchess or Dead End Gully. Avalanches from these areas have a tendency to spill out into the Lower Snowfields.

We expect the slabs that have developed, and are continuing to develop, to be on the soft side. Light density snow moved on light wind speeds creates slabs that are quite soft, which presents a couple noteworthy issues. First, very soft slabs can sometimes be mistaken for unconsolidated powder. Cohesive snow can indeed avalanche, even if it seems like perfect powder. Second, softer slabs are more sensitive to triggers than harder slabs. This would include both new snow from the sky or on the winds as well as you acting as a human trigger. Also, any new snow in either Ravine is now sitting on top of a slick icy crust. This will make for very poor bonding between the new snow and the old surface. In both Ravines, the potential for human triggered avalanches is very real.

Until we have enough new snow to make the hard surface conditions a memory, you will need crampons, an ice axe and solid self arrest skills to travel safely in steep terrain. This includes travel on the Lion Head Winter Route. The Sherburne Ski Trail has hard pack conditions that is now covered with some new snow. There is too much new snow for me to call it "dust on crust", but it's not enough to keep you entirely off of the unforgivingly hard base.