As the Western U.S. is doused in feet of new snow, avy danger is heightening, resulting in ratings ranging from considerable to extreme avy danger. While fresh powder is always alluring on some level, this is one of those times where playing it safe and staying away from slopes steeper than 30 degrees is the best option. Instead of taking on high risk, go drink a coffee and read a good book. Live to play another day.

New Year, same snowpack. That’s generally the consensus across the U.S. where persistent, early season hazards seem to remain a concern, offering up moderate avalanche danger ratings across many forecasted zones. The far-western part of the country—Tahoe specifically—will see heavy snow over the beginning half of the week, while much of the intermountain west will see snow midweek.

The first few weeks in December brought with them a nasty round of avalanches, due to instabilities buried deep in the snowpack across the western U.S. This week brings in more of the same, with the Pacific Northwest’s danger rating spiking to high, and the Rockies still dealing with persistent slab. Here is the regional report for this week.

Salt Lake, Utah-based photographer Jim Harris has built a portfolio of high-altitude badassery. And with trips to Antarctica, Mongolia and Patagonia checked off the bucket list, Harris is no stranger to traveling to the unknown to get the shot. For this edition, Harris talks about a trip to Bolivia, which came to fruition after he was contracted in 2010 for the Sweetgrass Productions film “Solitaire,” his first video shoot.

Deep slab avalanches are occurring across the western U.S., so exercise caution when traveling out of bounds. To stay safe, don’t leave without the proper avalanche safety gear and up-to-date information from your local avalanche center about the day’s conditions.