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Out of date — this forecast expired 11 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

LOW avalanche danger continues for all elevations and aspects. Small isolated pockets of unstable snow may exist. Normal caution is advised. It is still early season with generally shallow snow coverage and numerous poorly covered obstacles to hit.

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1

    Avalanche concerns for today are few. Strong SW winds yesterday created very small newly formed wind slabs near and above treeline in lee areas. The largest slabs were noted in the Mount Rose area. Overall, the size of these wind slabs is not expected to present a significant hazard to backcountry travelers unless located above cliffs or other secondary terrain hazards that greatly increase consequences. Some minor human triggered cracking might be observed today on these very small wind slabs.

    With continued warming across all elevations, some minor roller ball activity might occur today mainly in areas that received new snow yesterday. Problematic loose wet avalanche activity is not expected.

Avalanche Discussion

Observations made yesterday on Lincoln Ridge (Yuba Pass area), Castle Peak (Donner Summit area), Tamarack Peak (Mount Rose area), and in the Meiss Drainage (Carson Pass area) revealed a wide mix of conditions. On Lincoln Ridge, light snowfall changing to rain on snow was observed up to the ridge high point around 7,700'. Hand pits in the area revealed no issues with basal facets. On Castle Peak around one inch of new snow was observed with no signs of rain at elevations similar to Lincoln Ridge. Small amounts of new wind loading were noted in lee areas near and above treeline. Snowpit tests targeting basal facets indicated ongoing rounding of these snow crystals and still potentially problematic but very difficult to trigger snowpack failures. On Tamarack Peak around 2 inches of new snow was observed with the formation of very small new wind slabs in lee areas. Snowpit test targeting basal facets revealed loose grains and potentially problematic but very difficult to trigger snowpack failures. In the Meiss Headwaters less cloud cover along with warm and windy conditions were observed. By mid afternoon 2 to 4 inches of wet surface snow existed on sun exposed slopes. Significant amounts of previous wind scouring were observed with small wind slabs showing minor skier triggered cracking in lee areas. Loose grained basal facets were easy to find in shaded areas both near treeline and above treeline.

Regions covered