SMG's Snow report is for the snow conditions in the Eastern Sierra Nevada. We report on conditions as we see them, or from reports we get from our friends. This snow report is for snow quality and coverage conditions, not for anything related to stability of the snowpack on backcountry slopes. For the backcountry avalanche advisory please visit the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center website. Be aware that snow conditions can change rapidly. You need to be aware and knowledgeable of factors leading to unstable snow, and perceptive enough to shift gears in poor conditions. We highly recommend taking an avalanche course that focuses on backcountry decision making before entering into avalanche terrain. Contact us with your snow observations!
April 24, 2012
April 3, 2012
March 24 , 2012
March 21 , 2012
February 29, 2012
Skiers and Snowboarders de la backcountry, Happy Leap Year. Now hear this: winter is back! After yet another dry period alternating with blustery winds and April-like temperatures, the snow gods have shown the Eastern Sierra mercy and compassion. The storms of Monday and today were cold and just productive enough to cover up the crusts of last week with 20-40cm of low density fluff. Just enough to keep the unstable slabs small enough to be manageable and predictable. Watch for some bigger avalanche action in the days to come, and check out ESAC for the latest update, as always. Snow cover is still marginal below 9000 feet, but above that conditions are the best so far this season. Especially good snow can be found in the trees on E-N aspects. That means the zone between Mammoth Lakes and June Mountain- Howie
Check out this 2/28 report from the June Mountain sidecountry...
February 28, 2012 from the Mammoth Crest...
February 25, 2012
February 21, 2012
February 14-15, 2012
Trailhead Access - updated Feb 29th, 2012:
-Whitney Portal: normal winter closure -Onion Valley: normal winter closure -Big Pine Creek/McMurray Meadows: open -Bishop Creek:normal winter closure -Buttermilk/ Mt. Tom: open -Rock Creek: normal winter closure -McGee Creek: normal winter closure -Convict Creek: open -Mammoth Lakes Basin: normal winter closure -June Lake Loop: normal winter closure -Tioga Pass (Hwy 120): normal winter closure -Virginia Lakes: normal winter closure -Twin Lakes: normal winter closure
Pro ski legend Kent Kreitler on a SMG Level 2 avalanche course.
Pro Skier Chris Benchetler gets results from a Rutschblock test on a SMG Level 1 avy course.
