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Out of date — this forecast expired 13 years ago.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 is LOW for all elevations on snow covered NW-N-NE-E aspects. Human triggered avalanches are unlikely at this time. Encountering an isolated area of unstable snow has become unlikely, but may still be possible due to the variability that can exist on a regional scale. Due to melt, avalanche danger on SE-S-SW-W aspects is generally nonexistent.

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1

    Generally stable snowpack conditions have been observed on a regional scale. Triggering an isolated wind slab or persistent slab avalanche is unlikely but not impossible on NW-N-NE aspects. Recent field observations still show the occasional unstable snowpit test result mixed in among the vast majority of stable snowpit test results. Continue to exercise caution and implement best travel practices while traveling in or below avalanche terrain in order to minimize risk.

Avalanche Discussion

Observations made yesterday on Chickadee Ridge in the Upper Ophir Creek drainage (Mount Rose Backcountry) revealed stable snowpack conditions. Similar to other recently observed locations around the forecast area, a thin weak slab sat on top of a variety of weak layers ranging from old near surface facets to depth hoar. Despite this snowpack structure, good stability existed due to insufficient ability of the weak overlying slab to propagate weak layer collapse once initiated. In essence, not all of the necessary ingredients were present for an avalanche to occur. In various locations around the forecast area, the recent trend observed has been that either the weak layers have sufficient strength to support the overlying load or that the surface slab is not strong enough to allow snowpack collapse to travel any significant distance through the snowpack.

Regions covered