Presidential Range

Snow surfaces are firm, and avalanche conditions are generally stable. However, be cautious of small pockets of softer snow in steep terrain - even a small avalanche could lead to a consequential fall. An ice axe, crampons, and the skills to use them will be necessary for safe travel on steep slopes.

After sustained extreme winds, the snowpack at middle and upper elevations is firm, hard, and unreactive. The effect of the wind on the snowpack is easy to identify by looking for textured, sculpted surfaces.

At lower elevations, softer, less wind-affected snow can be found, but it generally lacks any reactivity.

Given the hard snow surfaces, actively work to reduce your exposure to a long sliding fall by moving carefully through steep terrain. Use crampons and ice axes to prevent a fall and stick to terrain and conditions that match your skill level to maintain a margin of safety.

Looking ahead to tomorrow, the potential for a few inches of new snow late tonight and tomorrow morning, combined with moderate northwest winds, may increase avalanche danger on easterly aspects above 3,000 feet in elevation. Be sure to check the MWOBS Higher Summits Forecast and the MWAC avalanche forecast for the latest updates.

OBSERVATIONS: Please consider submitting an observation on our website or in the new Avy phone app of what you are seeing in your travels. Submitting an observation hones your skills, informs other users, and improves our forecasts.