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Out of date — this forecast expired 13 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Avalanche danger remains LOW on snow covered NW-N-NE-E aspects. A few small areas of unstable snow may still exist on isolated terrain features. The avalanche danger on SE-S-SW-W aspects remains nonexistent due to a lack of snow.

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1

    The vast majority of data and observations from around the region indicate that triggering an avalanche remains unlikely. However, some variation still exists in day to day observations, and a few isolated results indicating instability still continue. Finding some unstable snow in the form of a small persistent slab or small wind slab on an isolated terrain feature on a NW-N-NE aspect is not impossible. Even though avalanches are unlikely, continue to evaluate the snowpack before committing to a slope and employ safe backcountry travel practices like traveling one at a time and spotting partners from known safe zones outside of any avalanche path. The shallow snowpack also has left numerous rocks, trees, stumps, logs and other obstacles exposed for people recreating in the backcountry to hit.

Avalanche Discussion

Observations continue to show a shallow snowpack composed mostly of weak sugary snow on the NW-N-NE aspects. In some areas this shallow snowpack has small slab-like layers in it. On some near and above treeline slopes, isolated small and difficult-to-trigger wind slabs still rest on top of the pack. In other areas no slabs exist and weak unconsolidated snow comprises the whole snowpack. Yesterday in the Ophir Creek drainage, data and observations from areas that held both the small wind slabs and the older slab-like layers indicated that the snowpack can currently support itself as well as the additional load of people recreating on top of the snow. Snowpit tests still showed some variability, but overall, most tests and data pointed to a stable snowpack.

Regions covered