10:21 a.m., Monday, November 18, 2002

   A U.S. 5 SCALE DANGER RATING AVALANCHE BULLETIN IS ISSUED FOR TODAY. A
   WINTER STORM WARNING POSTED BY THE NWS STANDS THROUGH THIS MORNING. We
   will likely go back and forth between General Advisories and 5 scale
   ratings until we need to go to a daily bulletin. If a 5 scale bulletin
   is issued it expires at midnight on the day of issue and you can
   expect another bulletin the following morning. When a General Advisory
   is posted another bulletin may or may not be issued the following day
   depending on conditions. Climbers heading into Huntington should check
   the avalanche bulletin before leaving Pinkham Notch or Hermit Lake
   each morning. Until the Harvard Cabin opens on December 1st the
   avalanche bulletin will not be posted there due to no campers being
   there overnight.

   TUCKERMAN AND HUNTINGTON RAVINE HAVE CONSIDERABLE AVALANCHE DANGER
   TODAY. EXPECT AN INCREASING AVALANCHE DANGER THROUGH THE DAY. It
   certaily feels like winter up here in the Ravine. Temperatures are
   plummiting, the wind is moving a lot of snow and the visibility is
   very low. With last nights rain and dropping tempeatures an ice crust
   has formed. In lee areas the snow should bond to this crust reasonably
   well, as the crust is still realatively warm. In these areas we can
   expect avalanche activity to occur within the newly deposited wind
   slab layers above the ice interface. However, in areas where the wind
   has exposed this ice crust, it will become colder and thicker with the
   dropping tempeatures. As the winds shift and load new aspects with
   snow onto this cold crust, we are more likely to see avalanche
   activity at the interface of the ice crust and the newly deposited
   snow. Areas of most concern are those that already have significant
   existing snowfields before this storm. These pockets offer new snow a
   bed surface to avalanche on compared to brush or rock dominated areas.
   The largest areas are still in Tuckerman Ravine. Left Gully, the
   Chute, and areas North towards the Sluice do have sizeable snowfields.
   Isolated patches in the Huntington Gullies also offer good potential
   bed surfaces. Remember if the snowfield is large enough to ski or
   recreate on it's large enough to avalanche. AS ALWAYS, THIS BULLETIN
   IS ONE MORE TOOL TO HELP YOU MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS IN AVALANCHE
   TERRAIN. It should be used along with your own snow stability
   assessments, knowledge of safe travel techniques, skill in mountain
   weather's effect on the snowpack, and avalanche rescue.

   Pull out your beacon and practice, ONLY YOU CAN SAVE YOUR PARTNER!!
   Review your safe travel rules, techniques for assessing snow
   stability, and sign up for an avalanche course. We have all the
   avalanche courses offered in the valley this winter on our website,
   csac.org.

   PLEASE REMEMBER:

   o Any new precipitation may increase the avalanche danger, this
   includes wind transported snow.

   o Obtain latest weather forecast before starting out.

   o For more information, contact the U.S. Forest Service Snow Rangers:
   AMC at Pinkham Notch Visitor Center or Hermit Lake Shelters.

   o This Avalanche Bulletin expires at midnight.

   Brian Johnston, Snow Ranger
   USDA Forest Service
   White Mountain National Forest