Newberry

Avalanches large enough to bury or injure a rider will be unlikely on Saturday.  Even in low hazard, unstable snow may exist on isolated slopes, so it is always prudent to carry avalanche rescue gear, and practice good travel techniques like only exposing one rider at a time to steep slopes.  After a very warm week, cornices likely remain weakened, and could easily collapse beneath a rider's weight.

On Friday morning, the Monument had picked up around an inch of new snow.  Despite Moderate winds from the Southwest, this wasn't enough snow to produce a significant Wind Slab avalanche problem.  There is still a lot of moist snow in the upper snowpack from last week's rain and warm temperatures.  Today that moist snow was capped by a melt-freeze crust, and unless it gets very warm or very sunny, large Wet avalanches are unlikely.  Cornices likely remain weak from these same warm temperatures.  Remember that cornices can break farther back than we often anticipate, so give them plenty of room.