Eastern Sierra – General Avalanche Information 11/13/2026

Fall storms brought snow to the Eastern Sierra around Halloween. Warm, dry periods following these events melted most areas back to bare ground. Isolated north-facing slopes near the crest, along with some chutes, bowls, and steep slopes under cliff bands, have maintained patchy snow cover above about 9,500 feet.

On these shady terrain features, the existing snow consists of weak, sugary facets. Some open slopes have a breakable crust at the surface. As new snow falls in these areas, it will form a layered snowpack with a weak base. That could contribute to avalanches if enough accumulates.

As of today, November 13th, a storm is expected to bring a foot or more of new snow to elevations above about 7,000 feet across the forecast area by Saturday morning. The National Weather Service has a Winter Storm Warning in effect. Strong winds will cause drifting onto leeward slopes.

Where new snow falls on bare ground, avalanches will be unlikely until enough accumulates to cover rocks and bushes. The biggest concern will be slabs of wind-drifted snow forming on weak snow left over from October. Blowing snow on the terrain you want to ride, or cracking in the snow under your feet, are warning signs of an unstable snowpack.

Right now, there’s hardly enough snow to ride. But as more slopes look appealing, rocks and logs will become hazards. Getting caught in an early-season avalanche often has more serious consequences, including hitting obstacles on the way down. Keep that in mind if you venture out during or after the coming storm.

ESAC has begun reopening for the 2026-2027 season, and we are raring to go! We will continue to update this early-season advisory as the snowpack evolves, and we will begin daily forecasts as soon as conditions allow. In the meantime, here are a few suggestions to help you prepare for a successful backcountry season.

• Join us for our Annual Kickoff Events! We’ve got a retro ski party with dinner, music, and a movie at Mammoth Brewing. Don’t miss the Eastern Sierra Snow and Avalanche Workshop at Wind Drift Studios and the chance to see Mali Noyes talk at Canyon Lodge on Saturday.
• Use our Weather Resource page to track current conditions.
• Check out our Online Avalanche Education page for a wide variety of free online resources.
• If you head into the mountains, let us know what you see. Our Observations page is waiting for you.

Full Forecast ➝