Avalanche forecast

Central Sierra Nevada

Sierra Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 10 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

The avalanche danger has decreased to LOW. Low avalanche danger does not mean no avalanche danger. Unstable snow may still exist on isolated terrain features and small avalanches could still occur in isolated or extreme terrain. Continue to evaluate the terrain and snowpack while traveling in the backcountry to identify where these isolated areas of unstable snow may still exist and avoid those slopes.

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    0

    Avalanches have become unlikely as the snowpack has consolidated and gained strength since the storm. Unlikely does not mean impossible, and unstable snow could still exist on isolated terrain features. Steep, complex, and extreme terrain and unsupported slopes represent the best places to find these isolated areas of instability where a person may still encounter a lingering avalanche issue like a wind slab or a cornice failure. Couloirs, cliffy areas, gullies, and hanging snowfields are just a few examples of complex and extreme terrain. Large cornices still exist along many ridgelines, and in some areas, they could still break under the weight of a person or multiple people.

Avalanche Discussion

Observations yesterday on Tamarack Peak, Hidden Peak, and Castle Peak all revealed continued consolidation in the snowpack. Snow pit tests on Tamarack Peak and Hidden Peak showed good bonding between and within the snowpack layers including the Jan. 9th rain crust. Ski cuts on test slopes in the Tamarack Peak area also did not reveal signs of instability. On Tamarack Peak a widespread, thin, breakable rime crust with surface hoar on top of it existed. Surface hoar was also reported on Hidden Peak. General observations from Castle Peak did not show significant signs of instability, but wind affected snow existed on most open aspects in near and above treeline terrain. A party in Deep Creek on Billy's Peak reported a small human triggered wind slab on a steep N-NE aspect near a previous deep slab that occurred last week. 

Regions covered