About 2"(5cm) of new light density snow has fallen on the upper half of the mountain as of this morning. Another inch or two is expected today before much drier and colder air pushes in this afternoon. Summit winds have been consistently out of the W between 50-70mph(80-113kph) with higher gusts since sundown yesterday and are not expected to change until sundown today. As I kicked through drifts on my way up the Tucks Trail this morning I wondered what the Ravines might look like right now if they weren't enveloped in clouds. These strong W winds undoubtedly moved lots of snow off the Summit Cone, Alpine Garden and Bigelow Lawn and pushed it down into the Ravines. Early season conditions make the mountain seem especially dynamic as each new storm covers more brush and turns small isolated pockets into larger snowfields. As today's winds load and crossload the start zones we may see natural activity occur on a couple of different layers. We have concern with the newest windslab but we're also keeping a watchful eye on the slabs created Sunday night and into Monday morning. These older slabs sit on top of a thin layer of loose unconsolidated snow in some locations while in others they overlie a very hard slick layer created by last week's rain and drop in temps. And lastly there are spots where the new snow is being deposited directly onto this hardened surface after recent winds scoured Sunday's snow clear away. Such spatial variability is common in a dynamic early season snowpack and makes ongoing assessment crucial if you're venturing into avalanche terrain. Since Friday the Summit hasn't pulled above 12F(-11C) and most of the time it has been significantly colder. During this same period they have picked up close to 11"(28cm) of snow. This snow is what has formed the various layers of windslab we are concerned with. Cold temps do not allow stabilization to occur at a very rapid pace and in fact, may have a detrimental impact on the snowpack. Temperatures are expected to drop even further tonight and the current windchill at the Summit is close to -40F! Today you may want to think twice about heading out above treeline or into avalanche terrain.

The hard old surface should also be acknowledged today for the trouble it may create for travelers. Many trails are very icy under the recent snow and crampons and an ice axe are essential for travel on open terrain of any steepness. Self arrest will only be effective if executed immediately after a slip otherwise speed and the snow density may make attempts futile.

Don't wait any longer to refresh your avalanche skills. Pull out your beacon, practice, and spend a couple bucks on a fresh set of high quality batteries. 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, tuckerman.org. Christmas is coming soon so sign yourself or a loved one up now!