Looking to up your avalanche education? Want to feel more confident about making decisions in the backcountry with your group? Join us for a Backcountry 101 for snowmobilers on January 28 and 29. This course is designed for snowmobilers and snow-bikers taking their first on-snow avalanche class or looking to refresh previous training. For more information and to sign up, click here.

Sunny slopes will remain firm until softened by today's warmth, while shady northerly aspects still hold dry, settled powder. Riding conditions remain great, particularly in sheltered areas protected from the wind. That "loud powder" you're hearing is surface hoar and recrystallized surface snow. These make for fun riding conditions now, but pay attention to the surface this week, as this snow will become the next layer of concern after the next storm. The snowpack appears to be mostly stable across the zone, with minimal recent activity and no reported avalanches failing on a persistent weak layer of facets near the ground since December 7. While it is unlikely to trigger an avalanche on this layer, watch for slopes with a shallower snowpack in extreme terrain at upper elevations.

On slopes steeper than 30 degrees, our primary concern for today is wind-drifted snow in exposed terrain. While the amount of snow avilable for transport has been decreasing, fresh wind-drifted snow will appear rounded, rippled, or pillow-like. Remember, even a small avalanche can carry you over cliffs and into trees, and it may step down into older, weak snow, resulting in a much larger and more dangerous avalanche. While the wind should keep the snow surface cool today, if the sun begins warming the snow surface more than expected watch for active "roller balls" on sunny slopes, as they indicate an increasing potential for wet-loose avalanches.

The Tony Grove Snotel at 8400 feet reports 37°F and 59 inches of total snow. At the UAC Card Canyon weather station at 8700 feet, it's 28°F, and there is 44.4 inches of total snow. Northwest winds increased slightly overnight and will blow steady throughout the day. Currently at 9700 feet on Logan Peak, the wind is blowing 25 to 30 mph from the west-northwest. It's 28°F on Paris Peak at 9540 feet, and wind is blowing 25 mph from the west. Today will be another beautiful day in the mountains with mostly sunny skies and temperatures reaching the mid-30s°F. Steady northwest winds will blow 25-30 mph, gusting to 40 mph. No new precipitation is expected today.