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Out of date — this forecast expired 9 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

LOW avalanche danger exists at all elevations today. Continue to assess the snowpack and terrain, and travel carefully in the backcountry. Numerous exposed and barely covered obstacles still exist. 

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1

    Triggering an avalanche has become unlikely. Despite the decrease in avalanche danger, other hazards like numerous exposed rocks, trees, stumps, logs, other obstacles, and widespread firm icy surfaces still remain. Travelling in sheltered non-wind-affected terrain where softer snow still exists or on snow-covered sun-exposed terrain where spring-like conditions exist should provide safer and more enjoyable conditions today.

Avalanche Discussion

* Areas north of Emerald Bay above 8000 ft, still have decent snow coverage. Below 8000 ft. snow coverage remains patchy and shallow. South of Emerald Bay, less snow exists with areas below 8500 ft. holding very little snow and a deeper but highly variable snowpack in areas above 8500 ft. Snow coverage continues to decrease on southerly aspects at higher elevations. 

* Spring-like snow conditions prevail on southerly sun-exposed terrain where snow coverage exists. Corn snow conditions existed on southerly aspects of Castle Peak and Chickadee Ridge yesterday. 

* Widespread firm, wind scoured snow surfaces remain on most near and above treeline terrain.

* Variable snow surfaces ranging from softer snow to firm surfaces exist on sheltered near and below treeline northerly terrain.

* Tests targetting the isolated hard wind slabs lingering on a few NW aspects no longer yielded unstable results on Andesite Peak yesterday.

Regions covered