too warm

first of all. take a look at the GCAC website. www.glacieravalanche.org
some new observations showing some buried crust and depth hoar layers, on multiple aspects. and with this new snow coming, things are going to be dicey.

unfortunately, the next 48 hours the temps are right on the edge of rain/snow, even up to elevations of 7000'. even if this precip stays as snow, it will be heavy and wet. this will put further pressure on buried layers and create likely substantial avy conditions.
a good time to stay in the trees and places you know. and be extra cautious, skiing one at a time with good spotters.

i was lucky to get in some deep turns yesterday off the hill, and on, in the just opened western bowl. it was fantastic. hellroaring also skied well, as did canyon creek. the canyon is starting to fill in nicely, and snow seemed super stable, but again, this new wet stuff changes all that. heard rumors of one of the skook chutes sliding to the road, but if so, it must have been down the canyon a ways, as we did not see any evidence. but this is one of those times now, the walk up the canyon road is as dangerous as the ski down the north side. and skiing any of the chutes, well, i won't be anywhere near there myself. nough said.

with hellroaring basin now open, the skiing on the hill should just get better, as the crowds spread out. if we can just get snow and not rain, this could be an exceptional week. one of our best in december in a long time.