Hey everyone in the NW, since people keep dying in avalanches every year, and I don't want to be one of those people, I thought I would ask some more experienced people what you think of the avalanche danger this late in the spring.

So, what do you think? My specific question pertains to the South Gully on Merchant Peak, which I have wanted to complete for several years, but I am also interested in just general info and factors which lead to late spring avalanches, and what to avoid. I tried Merchant 2 times in the past, 1 luckily without snow, but the second try I now look back on with a grateful heart, that I did not get caught in a slide, because it was certainly a possibility.

So what advice do you all have on being safe while hiking in the late spring/summer snow?