All forecast areas in Huntington Ravine have LOW avalanche danger. Natural avalanches are very unlikely and human triggered avalanches are unlikely except in isolated pockets. Normal caution is advised.

Things are finally starting to warm up after the coldest day of the winter on Mt Washington. Currently the summit has risen to -19C(-2F) and we're shedding layers at Hermit Lake with a temp of -16C(8F). The clouds have lifted temporarily but should descend again by late morning as the next system comes flying in from the Great Lakes with a bit of snow under its wing. The snow is forecasted to move in late this afternoon and today's avalanche forecast is not based on new accumulation. Keep an eye on the sky however as winds are expected to be enough to load any new snow onto lee slopes. If we see snow moving in during the daylight hours you can expect the avalanche danger to rise above the day's ratings. The winds of the past day and a half have scoured most of Huntington and a number of places in Tucks. Areas at Moderate today span the full range of that particular rating. Left Gully has been mostly scoured by winds but one large pillow of windslab bars safe passage through the narrowest part of the gully proper. The Lip and Sluice on the other hand have large snowfields with the creamy texture indicative of new windslab. Today's slowly warming temps don't look to be high enough to truly help to strengthen the relationship that these slabs have with the layer underneath. In the areas rated Moderate natural activity is unlikely but human triggered avalanches are possible.

Very hard icy surface conditions exist in most places on the mountain. Crampons and an ice axe are a must for safe travel on any angled terrain. With that said self arrest will be very difficult so move slow and methodically. This slick crust was the cause of a serious slip and fall accident in Huntington over the weekend and will continue to be a travel concern until we get enough snow to get it buried. With the recent super cold temps we expect to see some faceting occur around the formidable crust. Stay tuned in and we'll keep you updated.

THE LION HEAD WINTER ROUTE IS OPEN. Mountaineering skills and equipment are required for safe travel on this route. The John Sherburne Ski Trail is challenging due to hard icy conditions. You should expect hazards in the form of turf, rocks, bushes, water ice and deep waterbars. Many of these may be hidden by a dusting of snow.

As always, this advisory 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 reading mountain weather's effect on the snowpack, and avalanche rescue. To improve these skills take an avalanche course. We have all the avalanche courses offered in and around the Mt. Washington Valley this winter on our website, tuckerman.org.