The National Weather Service Forecasts-

TODAY...SUNNY EARLY IN THE MORNING THEN BECOMING PARTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS 15 TO 22. NORTHEAST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH. WIND CHILL TO 20 BELOW EARLY IN THE MORNING.

TONIGHT...CHANCE OF SNOW IN THE EVENING...THEN SNOW LATE. SNOW ACCUMULATION 1 TO 2 INCHES. LOWS 13 TO 21. EAST WIND 10 MPH.

THURSDAY...SNOW. SNOW ACCUMULATION 6 TO 8 INCHES. STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATION 7 TO 10 INCHES. HIGHS 20 TO 30. EAST WIND 10 TO 20 MPH.

With now much new snow over the last few days and the shallow new snow from after Saturdays rain having bonded well to the old snow surface avalanche danger is LOW today. Human triggered and Natural Avalanches are unlikely.

Temperatures dropped from 28f degrees at the tram summit 36 hours ago to 10f degrees this morning.

Yesterday the Tram summit saw winds from 10-25 gusting over 30 mph out of the NE. This tends to put some direct toploading on our urban avalanche paths.

This mornings winds are expected to stay light yet we may have placed a small windslab into our urban starting paths. We may also see some faceting on the snow surface before this next storm event tonight.

Neither one of these conditions will support the new snow load well. When tonights new snow comes in and starts to accumulate into tomorrow avalanche danger will rise.

Enjoy one last sunny day and pray for powder as we head back into the weekend! Winter is here and its time to ENJOY!~

Here is a short article from Powder Magazine I found interesting yesterday and wanted to share.

Backcountry Essentials- What to Pack?
by Sean Zimmerman-Wall

Arming yourself with knowledge is the first step. Packing for the adventure is the next. Here?s a comprehensive?but not exhaustive?list of items I recommend taking along on your next backcountry ski tour.

The Backpack
The minimum size pack to consider should be around 25 to 30 litres. I carry a 40 litre Dakine Altitude with an ABS Airbag. You want to have a set up that gives you enough space to pack the essentials, and the added security of the airbag, while not a silver bullet, is nice.

Beacon, Shovel, Probe
The three horseman never travel alone. Go with a large blade and stout handle for your shovel. A 300 centimeter probe takes up a bit more space, but it?s the professional standard and it?s more durable than most 240 centimeter options. Any beacon is good as long as you know how to use it, although three-antenna options are better for multiple and deep burials.

First Aid
Plenty of bandages, roller gauze, 4x4s, and cravats are good to have for trauma and bleeding. A SAM quick-splint and ace bandages are handy for broken wrists and small bone injuries. Having a pocket mask for CPR is quick, convenient, and sanitary. A good pair of trauma shears is also nice should clothing need to be removed to expose an injury.

Radio or a cell phone
A handheld two-way radio to talk with your partners is critical, especially in drainages where cell coverage is spotty. Your iPhone is good to have as back up, just ensure that you keep it in your pack and out of the way of your beacon.

Rescue Equipment
A harness, belay device, and a few carabiners, along with 70 to 100 feet of 7 millimeter rope is an additional back-up for tricky rescues. Just in case you get benighted, keep a stuffable bivy sack and fire starting materials.

Snow Study Gear
A well-stocked snow study kit includes a field notebook, magnifying loop, crystal card, thermometers, pencils, and a collapsible ruler.

The Rest Of It
A compass to help you navigate. A Swiss Army Knife or another multi-tool because you can use those things for anything. Ski straps. Orange flagging or smoke if you ever want to be seen from a bird?s eye view. An extra pair of dry gloves and a hat. These are all items that will help you out in difficult situations.