Presidential Range

Avalanches are unlikely on the widespread firm snowpack. As warming begins, watch out for thin areas of soft, wet snow that may slide easily on the icy layer below.Crampons, an ice axe, and a helmet can help mitigate a dangerous fall on steep, icy snow slopes. Consider the consequences of a fall in steep terrain and make terrain choices that reduce your exposure to this danger.

The snowpack is generally firm and icy in many areas. In some wind-protected locations, small pockets of 1-3 inches of softer snow sit on top of a melt-freeze crust, but these are limited in distribution and generally not expected to behave as a distinct avalanche problem. As temperatures warm into the 40s at middle elevations, watch out for areas of softer, wet snow that easily slide off the icy layer of snow below. As warm temperatures persist tonight and rain begins, the likelihood of encountering a wet avalanche problem will increase. Keep this on your radar and use your own observations to understand if the surface snow is becoming weak or wants to slide easily on the frozen layers below.The consequences of a fall in steep terrain on the current hard snow surface are still dangerous. On steep slopes, losing an edge or stumbling could quickly turn into a long, uncontrollable slide. Even where a few inches of softer snow are found, that snow may slide on the frozen surface beneath, contributing to a fall rather than producing an avalanche. In places where terrain funnels into rocks and other exposed hazards, the margin for error is essentially gone. Conservative terrain choices will be important to manage this hazard today.

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.