Avalanche forecast

Eastside Region

Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Spring-like weather has led to more predictable avalanche conditions. Wet Loose avalanches will become possible on solar aspects as the sun comes out and temperatures rise. Monitor surface conditions closely today and retreat from steep slopes before surface snow becomes wet and unconsolidated.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5

    Clear skies, overnight temperatures below freezing, and light winds led to a strong refreeze. As the sun comes out and temperatures rise, Wet Loose avalanches will become increasingly likely.  Expect areas of concern to move around the compass rose throughout the day. Easterly aspects will warm first as the sun comes out this morning, followed by southerly and westerly aspects as the sun moves across the sky. Rollerballs or pinwheels and increasing boot penetration are signs of instability that often foreshadow larger point release avalanches. Radiators such as cliffbands, rock features, and confined couloirs can trap heat and exacerbate the effects of warming. Wet Loose avalanches often fail from a single point and entrain heavy snow as they move downhill. The best way to manage Wet Loose avalanches is to ascend slopes while they remain cold and frozen and be off of steep slopes before surface snow becomes wet and unconsolidated.

    (2/23/2025) Photo: Samantha Rubin

Avalanche Discussion

Spring-like weather has led to spring-like snowpack concerns. Consecutive nights with a strong refreeze have helped us transition to more predictable avalanche conditions. The most notable change to the forecast is the removal of our Persistent Slab problem. Removing this problem is not a decision the forecast team takes lightly. Targeted snowpack evaluations continue to highlight poor structure. However, it has been almost two weeks since our last reported avalanche or sign of instability. Several days of warm temperatures and quiet weather have helped the upper snowpack consolidate and added stout crusts to the surface on polar aspects. This means that it is harder for the weight of a skier or rider to initiate a failure on deeply buried weak layers.

So, what does this mean for you? This highlights a significant source of uncertainty. Initiating a failure on these buried weak layers has become increasingly difficult. It would require you to find a shallowly buried trigger point akin to finding the needle in the haystack. To put it another way, it would require some bad luck. While unlikely, an avalanche failing on old weak layers would have very high consequences. Keep that in mind as you make plans with your touring partners. When in doubt, you can limit your exposure to triggering a slab avalanche by choosing simple, low-consequence terrain.

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