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

Unbelievable clear skies under a slow moving high pressure continue to dominate the White Mountains today. Temperatures will warm up the air and snow surfaces as solar gain with light winds should be substantial through the afternoon. Temperatures on the higher summits are expected to climb to 2C (35F) with N-NE winds at 25-35kph (15-20mph). Protected south facing slopes should warm up fairly well perhaps punching heat deeper into the snowpack than we have seen yet. This may help the consolidation process on these slopes that have been our primary concern due to the thick layers of faceted crystals. Previous stabilization has occurred at a slow pace and a thick layer of facets has lingered in many areas. These areas have been posted at Moderate for quite a while now due to continued weaknesses and no major weather changes to cause layers to consolidate. This may change over the next couple of days, but we have been cautious to bump it down to Low. As our friend Ron Johnson at the Gallatin NF Avalanche Center says "uncommon and weird weather causes uncommon and weird avalanches!" We have almost gotten sick of hearing ourselves talk about it day after day, but this weak layer has the potential to create some scary conditions when the snow starts to fall again. In some places windslab sitting on the old raincrust has turned entirely to facets. In other areas, especially southern aspects, a newer suncrust lies at the surface. Once you punch through this skin you're able to pull out handfuls of big crystals that sparkle in the sun and look like big white sugar grains. These square shaped facets have little to no cohesion and will function as a weak layer when new slabs are laid down on top of them.

Snow is finally coming back to the mountains!! Snow showers are anticipated all week beginning Monday night and systems may be lining up for something more significant by the end of the workweek into the weekend. Cross every finger you've got.

As springlike conditions have become entrenched on the mountain you should expect to see the associated hazards. Falling ice and/or rock, running water and rotten ice in the gullies are all possibilities in these temps. Snow has gotten pretty thin in some places and may have been undermined. As the shadow line creeps back across warmed snow expect a rapid change in surface conditions. Soft snow may quickly turn bulletproof so think twice before assuming conditions are the same as they were when you ascended an hour earlier.

THE LION HEAD WINTER ROUTE IS OPEN. Mountaineering skills and equipment are required on this route. Crampons and an ice axe are a must for safe travel on Mount Washington. The John Sherburne Ski Trail has reasonable coverage given the lean snow year and recent temps. You should still expect hidden hazards such as water ice and rocks.

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.