The snowpack is gaining strength and it'll feel bomber under our skis, board, or sled. As a matter of fact, in much of our terrain we're nearing the "go anywhere" feel, especially where the pack is deep and strong. But remember.... the current seasons snowpack rests on top of weaker, early season snow near the ground. Think stronger snow on top of weaker snow. Now here's where it gets tricky. The probability of triggering a deep dangerous avalanche is generally low, but the consequences are high because the entire seasons snowpack will crash down on top of you if you have misjudged the snowpacks stability. Now, you wouldn't go to Vegas and bet against the house with those odds right? Personally, I don't entirely trust anything in the snowpack I can't manage, so I'm going to continue avoiding terrain that harbors questionable snowpack structure. Of course the usual suspects come to mind... steep, rocky, upper elevation slopes facing the north half of the compass is bulls-eye terrain and should be considered suspect. With all the great coverage across the range and so many other riding options, there's no reason to roll the dice or pull on the dogs tail.

It never ceases to amaze me how winds can find just enough loose snow to blow around, channel it through mountainous terrain features, and whip up a fresh batch of stiff wind slabs. We've seen several days of intermittent strong southerly winds in the high country and they've formed wind drifts on the leeward side of upper elevation ridges and around terrain features like chutes and gullies. Mostly stiff and stubborn, any fresh drift can react to our additional weight and has the potential to break deeper and wider than you might expect. Today, you'll want to look for and avoid any fat, rounded piece of snow, especially if it sounds or feels hollow like a drum.