Highwood Pass

Short story: skiing/riding is not reasonable at Highwood pass. Long story: I hiked Highwood Peak (2700m) in mountain boots no gators and then did Ptarmigan Cirque in trail running shoes. Avalanches: numerous old small size 1 slab and loose dry from 25-2600m north facing terrain below Highwood Peak (above the traverse trail that goes from parking lot to Pocaterra zone. I suspect the slabs were 'sluff slabs' as the slabs all initiated below rock faces where snow sluffs off and piles up. Snow: There's an average of 15 cm of snow. Wind loaded alpine features are above threshold and avalanches are possible. All other areas (Below Tree Line, and non loaded alpine) are below threshold for avalanches. Snow surface BTL in shaded areas is dry and loose. Snow surface ranges from 10mm Surface hoar in open BTL areas, to loose cold facets, to wind hammered hard slab in alpine to moist/wet snow on steep west/south which will be a sun/temp crust when it cools off. More snow is needed before skiing/riding is reasonable.