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Out of date — this forecast expired 6 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Variable snow surfaces and shallow early season conditions with lots of exposed and barely covered obstacles exist in the backcountry. Travel using normal caution. The avalanche danger remains LOW at all elevations. 

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1

    The shallow snowpack remains supportable enough for backcountry travel right now, but numerous exposed and barely covered obstacles like trees, stumps, rocks, logs, etc litter the slopes. Collisions with these obstacles could have serious consequences for people and/or equipment. Moving at slower speeds on more mellow terrain and being observant can help avoid many of these obstacles. This strategy can also help dust the cobwebs off snow travel skills that went unused during the summer. Avalanche activity will remain unlikely today. 

    Now is a great time to practice avalanche rescue skills, route finding, and terrain identification. Practicing safe travel strategies now can help make them a habit for later in the season when the snowpack gets deeper.

Avalanche Discussion

A mostly supportable snowpack 1-2 ft. deep exists on northerly aspects above 8600 ft. in the Mt. Rose area, above 7000 ft. along the northern Sierra Crest, and above 8000 ft. along the southern Sierra Crest. The snow surface varies widely. On slopes exposed to the winds, uneven scoured and wind packed surfaces exist. Moving into more sheltered areas these firm surfaces give way to breakable crusts. On the most sheltered northerly facing slopes, some areas of soft surface snow still linger (near-surface facets). The clear cool nights will allow these facets to continue to develop and the facet layer may become weaker and more widespread during this dry spell. More sun-exposed easterly aspects hold sun crusts in the morning and soft wet sticky snow if the crusts melt during daytime warming. Significant snow-melt has occurred on the southerly aspects leaving exposed ground on many of these slopes.

Regions covered