I beelieve that the learning curve for life outside the groomed slopes is going to have to be very steep this year. Casual trail bangers such as myself are not used to tree wells and avalanche warnings. Life in the lower (our stomping grounds are a good 3-4K lower than the eastern playgrounds) western Sierra is usually uneventful as far as hazzards go.

The body betrays and the weather conspires, hopefully, not on the same day.