Northern New Mexico

Generally safe avalanche conditions exist today.  Triggering a small avalanche is unlikely but not impossible. Above treeline avoid slopes where you find stiff supportable slabs on top of weak faceted snow.  Steep slopes Near and Below treeline are where you may find snowpacks that have cohesionless weak snow throughout.  It's on these slopes that you may create a small Loose Dry snow avalanche. Any ride right now would be small but could have serious consequences from lots of natural hazards on the ground with our shallow snowpack.   

If you're interested in getting caught up on the season so far before this next round of snow, check out the Conditions Blog

Moderate East/ Northeast winds from Dec 2 - 5 have wreaked havoc above treeline.  Some slopes have been stripped and scoured back to a shallow snowpack or bare ground.  Other slopes have been drifted and loaded into pockets of hard slabs (mainly west and south aspects).  Breakable crusts to supportable hard slabs are the main surfaces at these elevations. These slabs are easy to identify with their smooth rounded appearance and not well connected across the slope.  These slabs will look the most enticing to ski or ride compared to the moonscape appearance that makes up most of our terrain above treeline right now.

A small natural avalanche from Dec 5 or 6th on a cross-loaded gully on a SE aspect is a reminder that these stubborn slabs have the potential to fail on weak faceted layers that lurk below. These slabs look smooth and will feel hollow and sound drummy. Obvious red flags such as collapses and shooting cracks are indications you've found a stiff slab with weak faceted snow beneath.  It'll be on the margins of these slabs that you'll be able to impact a weak layer.  Hard slabs tend to be unpredictable and can oftentimes break well above you.  Think about what the consequences are of releasing one of these small pockets before committing to a slope. Or better yet avoid them altogether.

The last week of high pressure has done a lot to change our snowpack.  An overall faceting process has kicked into full gear with big temperature swings from the warm sunny days and cold clear nights. Near and below treeline,  we have a relatively shallow snowpack (2-3 feet) that has become weak faceted snow throughout.  In steeper terrain, it's easy to get this cohesionless snow to start moving downhill where it easily entrains itself, sometimes to the ground.  These small faceted "sluffs" may be big enough to take you off your feet and move you places you don't want to go.

It's looking like this prolonged high pressure will be coming to end, with the chance of snow in the forecast Thursday evening into the weekend. As exciting as that is, with how things currently stand with our snowpack, it won't take much snow or wind to have the avalanche danger increase rapidly.  

Lower angled terrain less than 35 degrees on wind-sheltered slopes near treeline offer some good skiing and riding right now. It's just the beginning of December with an overall shallow snowpack.  Natural obstacles such as rocks and downed timber continue to be hazards.