Sad news to report from the Monte Cristo area where a snowmobiler was caught, carried, and killed in an avalanche yesterday. We have a team headed to that zone today and will have more details as they are compiled. In the meantime... please know our hearts hurt and our collective energy goes out to friends, family, and everyone involved in this very tragic accident.
Current Conditions: It's still warm. Temperatures were well into the 40s on Monday and hovered around 35˚ to 40˚ overnight. The wind has been steady in the moderate to strong range from the southwest along the higher terrain for the last couple of days. It is slowing slightly this morning. The snow has become damp and sloppy in the lower elevation. It is damp up to around 9000' on all aspects.
Mountain Weather: It's going to be another warm, cloudy day today. Temperatures will again get to near 40˚ in the high country. Wind will continue from the southwest but will be a bit slower than the last couple of days. A minor disturbance moves through on Wednesday spitting a little snow in the higher terrain. We might see some light rain up to 7000 or 8000'. A cold front moves through Friday which could bring a few inches of snow.
There was a snowmobile triggered avalanche in the Strawberry zone that released on Sunday. It was a wind loaded steep slope above a road, northeast facing, 9200'. This was not on the Skyline but just north of Soldier Summet. We have very similar conditions on the Skyline and a person could find something like this today.
Also, there was some minor loose wet avalanches that released naturally here on the Skyline. This was wet snow gouging into the facets as it ran. I noted them both in Fairview Canyon and Huntington Canyon. They were on northerly facing slopes below about 8500'. More of this is possible today.
