Huntington Ravine has CONSIDERABLE and MODERATE avalanche danger. South, Odell, Pinnacle, Central and Yale Gullies have Considerable avalanche danger. Natural avalanches are possible and human triggered avalanches are probable. Be increasingly cautious in avalanche terrain. The Escape Hatch, Damnation, and North Gullies have Moderate avalanche danger. Natural avalanches are unlikely and human triggered avalanches are possible. Use caution in avalanche terrain.

There are important details to these rating today please read on.

The stars fell into alignment and the eye of Jupiter was in the right place for conditions to line up for a major avalanche cycle yesterday. Heavy cement density snow fell through the morning hours with winds over 100mph (160kph) on and off till about noon maxing out at 118mph (190kph). This loaded an enormous volume of snow into the eastern side of Mount Washington. During the early afternoon we had a brief limited view of the run out zone of Hillman's Highway. What we saw confirmed our earlier suspicions about large full run avalanches being likely. Hillman's ran big and would say it was about a once in 10 year event taking out brush and trees near the terminal end. We still can not confirm what else occurred in Tuckerman due to lack of visibility. In Huntington we can confirm avalanche activity in the Escape Hatch, South, Odell, and in the Fan. Again visibility is limiting our ability to see up high or in the northern gullies, but there is debris under these areas. The only fracture line we have witnessed anywhere is a deep crown line in hard slab down low in the Escape Hatch. This is a good indictor of the degree of instabilities we were dealing with and are still required to be thinking about of today!

Some bull's-eye points to remember today: #1. We just saw a major avalanche cycle under High avalanche danger yesterday. What we can see from the results of this cycle so far are impressive, large runs in Hillman's, South, Odell, and an unusual fracture line in the Escape Hatch. #2. We are coming down from High in all areas to a solid Considerable in most locations. Although this is lower danger rating do not forget that Considerable is an elevated rating that requires respect and humility. Human triggers causing avalanches in these locales are probable today. #3. You can assume not all areas ran big so anticipate lingering hard slabs from the entire storm. In addition to this expect to find new loading that occurred from decreasing winds and continued loading yesterday afternoon. This new slab may have loaded in areas that already ran once in the morning. This is the rationale for some places like Hillman's having a Considerable rating rather than something lower after a big natural run. #4. Three gullies in Huntington have a Moderate rating which is the lowest rating for the Ravine. Because they are lower rated it does mean they do not harbor the degree of instability found under Considerable, but unstable slabs are a possibility and should cause some concern. Although natural avalanches are unlikely human triggered avalanches are possible and this climber weight is our main concern today for these Moderate areas. So.. don't think of a gully like Damnation as "the lowest one so let's do it" ask "It's Moderate today what do we need to be considering to travel in that gully" and #5. It's a weekend so expect lots of human triggers running around. This is always a concern, but with limited visibility due to clouds and fog the day after a lot of avalanche activity I would be conservative about travel choices. It will be hard to see who is above or below you.

Crampons, an ice axe and solid self arrest skills are needed to travel safely if you plan on traveling in steep terrain, including the Lion Head Winter Route. The Sherburne Ski Trail is open with new snow and full coverage.