Huntington Ravine is still under a General Avalanche Advisory. A General Advisory is issued when instabilities are isolated within the entire forecast area. However it's important to realize that avalanche activity may occur within these locations before the issuance of a 5-scale forecast. This is a critical fact to remember. Under a General Advisory you need to make your own avalanche stability assessments before venturing into any open slopes.

It looks like winter conditions will continue on Mt. Washington for the short term. Today�s weather forecast calls for about an inch (2.5cm) of new snow falling throughout the day, possibly up to 2 inches (5cm) with winds from the west at 30-50mph (48-80kph). We are forecasting Moderate danger based on a couple factors. First, as a result of yesterday morning�s warm spell followed by a drop in temperatures there is a crust that can make an excellent bed surface. Second, the possibility of 2 inches (5cm) of snow blown in on west winds is ideal for loading most areas of the Ravine. Any new stability concerns will come from freshly developed slabs sitting atop this older crust. While the snowpack is currently at Low, we believe that by the end of the day we will be in the Moderate range. It is important to pay attention to what the weather is doing today. Less snow will keep us toward a Low rating, while higher accumulations will bring us into the Moderate rating.

Looking beyond today, there is more to this weather system than the amounts predicted for today. Later tonight and into Monday, more snow will be arriving to augment the snow we already have. Models differ on amounts, depending on the track that the storm takes. Some have it going further south and others have it tracking further north. Overall it seems that we can expect somewhere around 6� (15 cm) or more. Expect an elevated avalanche danger over the next few days as a result of this system, particularly once the winds pick up.

Regarding the Lion Head Trail, we are currently using the Summer Trail, and will continue to do so until snow cover warrants the change over to the Winter Route. The Summer Route crosses an avalanche prone slope that has not developed as of yet. The Winter Route is not built for travel without adequate snow cover, so although we are in winter, please help keep the Winter Route in good shape by using the Summer Trail.

Huntington continues to rebound from last week's devastating rain, but coverage is still scant. This still causes the "General Advisory" to be issued. The northern gullies have the thinnest lines compared to Central, Pinnacle, and over to O'Dells. Currently the first snowfields of concern will likely be at the bottom and middle of Central and the exit gullies of O'Dells. We mention them because they offer some of the largest bed surfaces in Huntington, but they are still isolated concerns within their entire forecast area. Remember climbs are thin in places and anticipate unusual conditions including thin ice over rock in the typically straightforward Central gully.