Rapidly rising temperatures and strong direct sunlight will make the snow unstable on the sunny aspects today. Do not overstay your welcome in steep, sunlit, sustained terrain. If you start noticing the snow surface becoming damp or wet and/or seeing roller balls cascading down, it's time to get out of there. Both human triggered, and natural avalanches will be likely in steep southerly facing terrain today. These avalanches could be large enough to catch, carry and bury a person. If you're exiting out a drainage/canyon bottom late in the day, remember that low elevations (below 8,000') can also be wet and unstable.

As our winter snowpack sees its first real day of warming, be aware of what's above you. Roofs (roof-a-lanches) with winter snowpacks and other hanging snow on structures will likely fall/slide naturally today.

While becoming increasingly stubborn, our deep slab avalanche problem can roar back to life with any additional stress, i.e., rapid warming, heavy snowfall, strong winds, etc. Cornices may also be a good trigger for these larger avalanches. We haven't heard of any avalanches into this old layering 2-6' deep for a week or so, but they very much remain central to my route selection. These deeper slabs exist on all aspects at the upper elevations and west to north to southeast facing slopes at the mid-elevations. You are more likely to trigger these in steep, thin, rocky terrain or areas that may have avalanched during previous cycles.

My travel advice is to continue to avoid being on or beneath steep terrain where there is weak faceted snow on the ground.