Has anyone been up in the Glacier Gorge cirque (above Black Lake, underneath Spearhead) in last week or so? Last year during the freak January warm I was able to ascend Longs via Trough from here. Of course, snow was very minimal at that time, and quite firm. I am looking at Friday/weekend coming up and am curious if it is OK. Or maybe Keyhole. Really wish I were there today, as the weather looks fine. Alas, at work.

I was up Mt. Evans road today - given the close proximity I'll gather conditions are similar.

Dry. Snow in patches in the forest. Quite cold, not too windy. Looks as if weather's pretty stable throughout the week/week-end - 30% chance of snow Wed/Thurs in Estes...http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Estes+Park&state=CO&site=BOU&textField1=40.3721&textField2=-105.521&e=0.

Avy conditions still considerable from wind, windblown slab, big swings in temps. http://avalanche.state.co.us/index.php. Five fatalities so far this season in the US alone - many more in Canada and Europe.