Avalanche forecast

Central Sierra Nevada

Sierra Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 13 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Near and above treeline, very isolated pockets of MODERATE avalanche danger exist on E-SE-S-SW-W-NW aspects on slopes 35 degrees and steeper due to small shallow wind slabs. For all other areas, avalanche danger remains LOW.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    The NE winds have moved snow from the N-NE-E aspects to the SE-S-SW-W-NW aspects. The wind slabs formed by this wind loading should remain fragile today. Due to the small amount of snow available for transport these slabs should also remain small and not extend very far away from the near and above treeline exposed ridglines. On the S-SW-W aspects this wind transported snow will accumulate on exposed ground in many areas since much that snow has already melted. Cross loaded NW and SE aspects near and above treeline will hold the largest and most fragile of these small wind slabs. Some very small and isolated wind slabs could also exist on other aspects. Small human triggered avalanches remain possible today in isolated areas. Even though these slides should remain small they could still push a person into an area with other consequences or could become more serious in areas where terrain traps exist.

  • Wet Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    Frozen crusts with 2-5 inches of cold snow above them will allow loose snow sluffs to remain possible today. These should remain small and not entrain enough snow to cause problems in most areas. In a few isolated areas, these sluffs may be able to knock a person off balance of alter the course of person. Slopes steeper than 37 degrees above 7500 ft. with cold new snow on them hold the best potential for these small sluffs.

Avalanche Discussion

Some small wind slabs up to 1 ft. deep existed on SE aspects near Elephant's Back on Carson Pass yesterday. The weight of a skier on tests slopes where these wind slabs existed did cause cracking and small test slope failures. These slabs quickly diminished in size as the distance from the ridgeline increased. The largest of these slabs extended about 15 ft from the exposed Elephant's Back ridgeline. It tapered down to only 3-4 inhces thick by its end. The NE winds had already scoured all of the snow away from many of the exposed N-NE-E aspects by mid-day leaving behind a frozen icy crust. On the more sheltered N-NE aspects in this area, ski cuts caused ski width wide sluffs as the 2-4 inches of new snow slid down the icy crust below it. In the Mt. Rose area, ski cuts on steep mid elevation partly sheltered NE aspects did release small wind slabs 2-6 inches deep in morning. On more exposed N-NE facing slopes, the NE winds had scoured the new snow and wind slabs away.

Regions covered