Alpine glow made for a beautiful scene on the mountain this morning as a recent blanket of snow (more like a thin sheet) covers the landscape. 5.2 inches (13cm) of 6.5% snow fell on Monday during cold upslope conditions with high NW winds. This finally brought snow back to the eastern side of the mountain, albeit just enough to cover the autumn shades of brown and gray. Every great snowpack has to start somewhere so let's hope it's the beginning of something big. Cold temperatures have been the real sign winter is here with ice forming up in multiple places in the Ravines. Realize ice has just started forming several days ago so conditions are very thin. Although some valley rain is expected on Thursday we should stay below freezing in the higher elevations for the foreseeable future. This will obviously be conducive to continued ice growth but be patient as protecting your thin lines will be a considerable challenge. With that said, if you do intend to climb leave pickets at home and go heavy on rock gear with a focus on small protection.

Expect ice to form on trails and underfoot in numerous areas as snow cover is thin. This may make travel interesting by the weekend. We will continue with General Advisories although we still don't have much to discuss as far as avalanches are concerned.

Winter is finally here so don't plan on being able to follow summer trails safely without the right equipment. Be ready for the conditions you'll face with appropriate winter gear, i.e. winter clothes, ice axe, crampons, avalanche beacons, shovels, and probes. Don't wait any longer to refresh your avalanche skills. Pull out your beacon, install some fresh high quality alkaline batteries, and practice. Review your safe travel rules, techniques for assessing snow stability, and sign up for an avalanche course.

Avalanche courses offered in the valley this winter are now on our website, tuckerman.org.