Sierra Avalanche Center Shuts Down Operations for the Winter

Truckee based non-profit organization, Sierra Avalanche Center (Savy Center), shut operations for the summer.

If you ski the backcountry, you know how important the Savy Center is. From daily reports to detailed explanations of avalanche danger and precise mapping, it’s a vital resource to planning your off piste excursions in the Sierras.

The last report of the season was posted on April 21.

As the snow continues to settle with freeze melt cycles, the primetime spring touring is in effect, but they warn that wet loose avalanches can occur throughout the spring and summer on any aspect at any elevation.

“The amount of instability and how soon the instability forms will vary from day to day. When recent new snow experiences rapid warming, it will almost always be problematic. Once the snowpack has been through several melt-freeze cycles, wet loose instability will depend on the degree of overnight snow surface refreeze and the rate of daytime warming,” says the report.

The last report also warns of wind slab, storm slab, wet slab, and glide crack avalanches for this spring. Late season storms on top of freeze melt crust that can create a weak layer of snow.

Spring storms and strong winds can increase the likelihood of wind slab avalanches where snow is deposited on leeward slopes as well.

The Savy Center’s website will still have their observations open where you can read some insight from the public or forecasters who post their observations.

Even with the daily reports down there’s still a wealth of information on their page. Be safe out in the backcountry this spring.