West Slopes South

Beautiful weather awaits you in the mountains this weekend. Instead of worrying about avalanches, focus on travel conditions. Firm slopes capable of producing a long, uncontrolled slide will require care and possibly specialized equipment when crossing. 

Well, we finally had a cold day top to bottom on Friday, as upper-elevation temperatures dipped below freezing for the first time since January 11th! Unfortunately for winter lovers, this cooldown was not associated with any new snow. But at least if it's not snowing, it's sunny!

Expect conditions on Saturday to roll back to what we've experienced for the better part of a week. Inversions should be in place with cool temperatures down low and higher elevations slowly warming throughout the day. Avalanche potential continues to be close to zero out in the hills, so go exploring with confidence. But remember that the mountains are inherently dangerous and can throw curveballs from time to time. Don't forget to use good travel techniques and consider limiting your time spent traveling below corniced ridgelines or chunks of snow hanging on rocky ledges.

Speaking of traveling in the mountains, that may be the most significant hazard you face this weekend. Icy slopes are commonplace, leading to the possibility of long, uncontrolled slides. The volcanoes are obvious locations where this hazard often comes home to roost, but any firm slope can be dangerous if you slip and fall. The rebound in upper elevation temperatures may allow softening of sun-exposed slopes throughout the day, but it's not guaranteed. Bring the right equipment to manage firm slopes, and know how to use it. 

You'll also need to manage open creeks, exposed bushes, rocks, holes, and bare ground. All of these hazards can add time to your travels. There's still plenty of fun to be had out there in the hills. So if you're out and about, send us some pictures of what you're getting up to and how beautiful the views are. You can do it through our public observation page or the Avy App. Maybe we'll put it in the forecast for Sunday!