Forecasters say avalanche danger is lower than it was during the holidays, after a series of storms around the New Year helped build a more stable snowpack. Since then, calmer weather has allowed the snow to settle. Still, experts say that “lower danger” doesn’t mean “no danger.”
“Going into this weekend we’re looking at avalanche danger that’s less than it has been, and that’s a good thing,” said Andy Anderson, an avalanche forecaster with the Sierra Avalanche Center. “But it doesn’t mean there’s no danger. You still have to pay attention to the conditions around you and what’s going on in the snowpack.”
The caution comes after a deadly start to the winter season. Since Christmas, one person has died in a backcountry avalanche near Lake Tahoe, and several others have had close calls. In a separate incident, a ski patroller at Mammoth Mountain was killed while conducting avalanche mitigation work.
Anderson urges anyone traveling beyond resort boundaries to take extra precautions. That includes checking the daily avalanche forecast, obtaining proper avalanche safety training, and watching for warning signs such as recent slides, cracking snow, or collapsing layers.
While avalanche risk is actively managed within ski resort boundaries, the backcountry is a different story, where safety depends largely on preparation, awareness, and decision-making in the field.
