Eastern Sierra Avalanche Advisory 12/5/2025

No new snow has been measured in the forecast area in nearly two weeks.  Skies have been mostly clear, temperatures have ranged from well below to well above freezing, and winds have been strong at times from both the southwest and northeast.  The forecast for the upcoming week generally shows more of the same.

On the surface, the intrepid skier will find a wide variety of conditions, often all in the same run.  Near and above tree line (NTL and ATL), the wind has blown old snow back and forth and left few slopes unscathed.  Below tree line (BTL), you can still find soft, recrystallized snow (facets) in areas not exposed to the sun. The snow line continues to rise, further limiting the combination of adequate coverage and tolerable snow surfaces.  With a generally stagnant weather forecast, you can expect the current surface conditions to continue through the upcoming week.

Areas with the best coverage for skiing and riding are the same areas where instabilities may be hanging on.  Over the past week,  avalanches have been observed on leeward slopes between 9000 and 11000 feet where a wind-drifted slab overlies weak faceted grains and crusts.   On 11/30, a skier in Virginia Lakes was caught and carried by an avalanche that was certainly large enough to be a concern.  Thankfully, the involved party skied away uninjured and shared a thoughtful account of their experience for the benefit of the greater community.  If you missed it, you can view it here: 11/30 Olsen Avalanche.

We’ve received so many great observations already this season, and we hope you all will consider taking a few minutes to share what you see out in the hills (even if it’s just landscape photos from your alpine ice skating adventure).  If you’re unsure how to submit an observation or are curious about what may be valuable information, you’re in luck:

• Wednesday, December 10th, at 6pm at Mammoth Brewing, ESAC will be hosting our first of four avalanche awareness nights. The focus of this first event will be on how to submit observations in a way that’s easy for you and useful for others.
• To review current observations or submit a new one, visit esavalanche.org
• Check out the latest Weekend Update in the Media section

Full Forecast ➝

This information is provided by the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center and describes general backcountry avalanche hazard and conditions. It does not apply to ski areas and highways where avalanche mitigation is conducted.