Avalanche forecast

Eastside Region

Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Thu
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
3 · Considerable
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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Fresh snow and damaging winds over the last 12 hours have stressed weak layers in the snowpack. The potential for large avalanches has expanded to more areas and avalanches could be easier to trigger.  You could trigger an avalanche today from a distance or  in areas you may typically think of as “safe.” When in doubt, use terrain choice to limit your exposure by sticking to lower slope angles without overhead hazards.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1.5–3

    Fresh snow and strong winds have added stress to our weak snowpack, increasing the potential for persistent slab avalanches today. If triggered, the resulting avalanche could break with little warning, involving the full depth of the snowpack. Persistent slab avalanches can be triggered from adjacent slopes. Avalanches may propagate long distances and beyond terrain features that typically contain surface instabilities such as storm or wind slabs. Managing this problem is made more difficult because of our shallow and inconsistent snow coverage. This means that the few areas attractive for riding are generally the same slopes where the avalanche problem exists. Cautious route selection remains the most important strategy to manage this problem. When in doubt, choose travel routes with lower slope angles and no overhead hazards to limit your exposure.

    (1/12/2024)

    A large human-triggered persistent slab avalanche occurred on 1/12/24. This avalanche resulted in a full burial. Following a fast and efficient rescue, the party was able to self-rescue. Thankfully, this incident only resulted in minor injuries.

    Photo: Steve Mace

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2

    Strong winds at all elevations will continue to redistribute dense new snow onto leeward slopes throughout the day. Be suspect of terrain features that encourage drifting, such as the leeward sides of ridgelines, alpine couloirs, gully features, and cross-loaded depressions. Strong winds can redistribute snow in surprising ways. Don’t be surprised to find fresh deposits further down the slope than you’d typically expect, and in more sheltered areas below treeline.  It is critical to remember that the distribution of wind slabs overlaps with our persistent slab problem. This means that even a relatively small avalanche breaking in the upper snowpack has the potential to step down into older snow, creating a much larger and more destructive avalanche.

Avalanche Discussion

When dealing with such a shallow and weak snowpack, small changes can often have a large effect on stability. While snow accumulations last night were relatively low by Sierra standards, strong winds are likely to continue to redistribute this snow throughout the day today. This new load has increased the potential for human-triggered and natural activity today. Be on alert for renewed signs of instability, such as shooting cracks and collapsing in the snowpack. Conservative terrain choice remains the best strategy to deal with our complex and unpredictable snowpack.

Regions covered