Eastside Region

Avalanche Danger is LOW. The greatest hazard in the backcountry isvery firm and variable snow surface conditions produced by recent extreme winds.

The real hazard as mentioned repeatedly in the Bottom Line of recent avalanche forecasts is the quite firm and present “slide for life” condition present throughout the forecast zone. I think yesterday’s dialog on these current surface conditions is really the most important consideration to think about for mountain travel right now in the Eastern Sierra… Most current alpine pursuits fall more into the “Ski-Mountaineering” realm rather than just going out for a tour. Some additional gear and knowledge are key for having fun and travelling efficiently and safely. That being said, there is still soft surfaces in sheltered shady aspects within trees that can provide more compliant and enjoyable travel.

Crampons (ski & boot) and ice axe are advantageous if venturing to higher pursuits in the range.

What we do have an advantage in at this moment in time, is the general lack of persistent weak layers in the snowpack that are generally standard issue in the climates of say Colorado.  The pressing and welding of the snowpack in the alpine by wind presents the opportunity to explore and step into bigger and more complex terrain that in many winters’ mountain ranges in just to risky to even approach. This being said, being prepared with the proper equipment and knowledge is key. If interested and or new to the ski mountaineering realm, getting acquainted on non-consequential terrain and learning from a mentor or a guide will get you started on how to tackle bigger terrain in variable surface conditions. Rarely do the big mountains across the world harbor perfect powder conditions and its advantageous to be well versed on being able to ride everything confidently and conservatively. Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills (Textbook by the Mountaineers) is the gold standard in reading up on the basics of mountain skills that you can then match with your backcountry riding experience.

A good freeze overnight and overall rock-hard alpine conditions of the snowpack will keep things locked up, but there may be some warming of surfaces on solar aspects today (particularly below tree-line). There is hardly any snow on southerly aspects in the alpine with the decimating winds that have stripped most surfaces clean, but in lower elevations, sunny aspects below tree line harbor thin snow coverage in select areas. Concerns regarding this would be primarily for trap-door or unsupportable surfaces. You can look for this by taking off your skis and checking boot penetration to see if things are getting unsupportable. If you’re going above boot top, probably better to avoid sunny aspects. Over the course of the last week, we have not seen any dramatic concerns with loose-wet hazard yet, but it’s worth keeping an eye out today.