The Forest Service Avalanche Center for the Sierra would not exist without community donations, despite being a government operation.
Category Archive:california
March 25th, 2023 / Tags:avalanche , avalanches , california , sierra avalanche center / Categories: avalanche forecasting, Avalanches, california, ski area, skiing /
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February 25th, 2023 / Tags:avalanche , avalanche dog , avalanches , california , heavenly , ski area / Categories: avalanche beacons, avalanche education, Avalanches, california, ski area, skiing /
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Above average Sierra snowpack for the month of February continues, with California at 190% of normal snowpack for this time of year. With all this snow, the ski patrol team at Heavenly Ski Resort in South Lake Tahoe is urging skiers to be extremely cautious of avalanche danger.
December 5th, 2022 / Tags:avalanche , avalanche accident , avalanches , california , forest service , oops / Categories: Accidents, avalanche accidents, avalanche forecasting, Avalanches, california /
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Sierra Avalanche forecasters triggered an avalanche on Tamarack Peak but escaped any consequences according to the Forest Service run center.
January 13th, 2022 / Tags:avalanche , avalanches , california , sierra avalanche center / Categories: Avalanches, california /
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The Sierra Avalanche Center is not a typical government service. Every day paid Forest Service forecasters grab their gear and go skiing.
In order to fund themselves the Forest Service Sierra Avalanche Center seeks donations and holds events.
February 26th, 2021 / Tags:alpine meadows , avalanche control , avalanche deaths , lawsuits / Categories: Accidents, avalanche accidents, avalanche control, Avalanches, california, lawsuits, legal, ski area, skiing /
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Two Alpine Meadows avalanche lawsuits have been filed by the widow and a friend of a dead skier. They accuse the resort of negligently rushing to open the unsafe slopes for a busy holiday weekend.
Cole Comstock, 34, of Blairsden, California, was killed. His close friend Kaley Bloom was seriously injured. They were caught in an avalanche on an Alpine Meadows ski run on Jan. 17, 2020. Nobody else was seriously hurt.
The two Alpine meadows avalanche lawsuits were filed in Placer County Superior Court by Bloom and by Cole’s widow. They seek unspecified damages from Alpine Meadows. The allegations include negligence, gross negligence and breach of contract. Raymond’s lawsuit also alleged the resort was to blame for her late husband’s death.
February 20th, 2021 / Tags:avalanche accidents , avalanche center , california , forest service , sierra nevada , tahoe / Categories: Accidents, avalanche accidents, Avalanches, california, skiing, snowboarding /
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Friday started as a perfect winter day. About a foot of new snow fell overnight. In the morning the sky cleared. Then by the end of the day the Sierra Avalanche Center had received many avalanche reports. Some happened naturally but many were caused by skiers and snowboarders.
In the morning the Sierra Avalanche Center posted its forecast. The center stated the obvious - that storm slabs in the new snow were a big concern. They rated the avalanche danger as “considerable,” meaning that skiers and snowboarders were likely to trigger avalanches.
The Sierra Avalanche Center works to prevent accidents by issuing daily forecasts. The U.S. Forest Service hires three full-time avalanche forecasters who backcountry ski and then write reports. The Sierra Avalanche Center fundraises on behalf of the U.S. Forest Service to cover much of the payroll and related expenses. There are also three part-time paid observers who go skiing to check on conditions.
December 30th, 2020 / Tags:avalanche accidents , california , skiing , snowmobiling , tahoe / Categories: Accidents, avalanche accidents, Avalanches, california, skiing, snowmobiling /
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Two people were caught in Tahoe avalanches in the backcountry over the weekend, on Saturday December 26. One was a skier and the other a snowmobiler. Both escaped serious injuries.
The avalanches took place on steep slopes of 40 degrees or more. Officials are advising users to choose slopes that are 30 degrees or less.
“Whumpfing, shooting cracks, recent avalanches, and unstable snow pit test results are all indications of unstable snow in the area. Do not underestimate potential avalanche size, potential run out distance, or the hazard from connected terrain above or to the side. Think bigger avalanche than expected.”
