Yesterday's storm delivered a solid 6" of medium density snow across the range and a trailing band of moisture laid down and additional one or two inches overnight. Temperatures are in the mid 20's and west-southwest winds blow 15-25 mph along the ridges. Winds ramp up ahead of the next system slated to impact the region later today. It looks like a good shot of snow, water, and wind and we can expect periods of high density snow with increasing west and southwest winds gusting into the 60's along the high ridges by days end. Strong winds are forecast tonight ahead of the next cold front, expected to pass through the region Saturday morning. Snow density will be high again tonight, decreasing significantly Saturday behind the cold front. I expect we should see snow totals in the 12"-18" range by this time Saturday morning. Temperatures crash into the single digits with snow showers ending mid Saturday evening. A significant warming trend is forecast early next week with a ridge building in.

Above are 24 hour temperatures and snow depth from Hayden Pass

Our main man Ted Scroggin has been out and about, stomping around Bald Mountain Pass and in Whitney Basin since early November. He reports a thin, yet layered snowpack with about 18" of snow on the ground on upper elevation, north facing slopes.

This is exactly the type of terrain that's gonna be sketchy as the holiday storm evolves.

Wanna avoid avalanche danger this weekend? Of course you do and it's easy. Simply steer clear of any mid or upper elevation slope that has pre-existing, early season snow.

Your exit strategy is to swing around to south facing terrain which has no old snow and you can ride without the worry of avalanches breaking to weak snow near the ground.