Avalanche forecast

Eastside Region

Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 5 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Wet loose avalanches will continue to be a possibility today. Look out for wet snow on slopes in the sun during the warmest part of the day. Get an early start, and pay attention to what is above you as you move through the mountains.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    As you might expect, wet loose avalanches have been reported or observed nearly every day since the historic heat wave began over a week ago. These have generally been observed near and above treeline on north and east aspects, and are typically occurring in the afternoon.  Many of these avalanches have been large enough to injure a person or carry a rider into undesirable and exposed terrain.

    You can reduce your exposure to wet loose avalanches by starting early and aiming to be out of the mountains by midday. Monitor surface warming and consider retreating if the snow surface becomes unsupportable to  skis. Look for signs of recent avalanches, and use caution around similar slopes that have not yet slid. Pay attention to sunny slopes above you, and anticipate what your ski out may be like several hours from now.

    (3/25/2026) Photo: Northeast aspect at 10800 ft in the Pine Creek drainage.

Avalanche Discussion

After over a week of record-breaking March heat, the mountains will feel a bit cooler today. Expect the surface to be mostly frozen this morning, and some clouds and northeast winds this afternoon to keep things cold up high. Anticipate slopes in the sun to soften progressively throughout the day. Slopes that experienced a superficial freeze may become unsupportable, and wet loose avalanches will be a possibility.

Coverage and access are becoming more difficult with each warming day. In the northern part of the forecast area, you can find patchy snow on northerlies down to 8000 ft or below, while southerlies are essentially bare below 10000 ft. Down south, these lines are at least 1000 ft higher. Many approaches involve walking on dirt, pavement, or intermittent snow. Some involve creek crossings and questionable snow bridges.

Springtime brings a myriad of mountain hazards to consider - hard snow, soft snow, low tide, rockfall, cornices, water hazards, and sun and heat concerns may all be encountered in a single day. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the name of the game during spring diurnal cycles is getting an early start.

All this being said, intrepid skiers and riders are still finding favorable coverage and surface conditions up and down the range, and if you can pretend that it is early May instead of late March, you may just trick yourself into having a good time out there.

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