If you are thinking about heading into the backcountry, officials say now is not the time.
According to Washoe County, in an online post, the Sierra Avalanche Center is warning of continued high avalanche danger across the Sierra backcountry and urging people to use extreme caution if venturing out and to avoid dangerous areas.
HIGH avalanche danger exists in the backcountry, where large avalanches are expected across backcountry terrain. The center warns that HIGH avalanche danger may continue through the day Thursday.
The advisory is in effect from Tuesday, Feb. 17, at 5:00 a.m. through Thursday, Feb. 19, at 5:00 a.m.
The warning covers the Central Sierra Nevada mountains between Yuba Pass (Highway 49) on the north and Ebbetts Pass (Highway 4) on the south, including the greater Lake Tahoe area. It does not include ski areas or highways where avalanche mitigation programs are in place.
The advisory comes after a large avalanche Tuesday in the Frog Lake/Castle Peak area involving a group of backcountry travelers. Six survivors were found and nine people remain missing.
In its latest update issued Wednesday at 6:52 a.m., the Sierra Avalanche Center said, “A large avalanche occurred yesterday in the Frog Lake/Castle Peak area involving a group of backcountry travelers. Increased uncertainty exists with ongoing reactivity of these buried weak layers under this large storm snow load. The potential continues for large to very large avalanches occurring in the backcountry today. HIGH avalanche danger continues with travel in, near, or below avalanche terrain not recommended.”
Officials say rapidly accumulating snowfall, weak layers in the existing snowpack, and gale-force winds that blow and drift snow have created dangerous avalanche conditions in the mountains. Natural avalanches are likely, and human-triggered avalanches large enough to bury or injure people are very likely.
Traveling in, near, or below backcountry avalanche terrain is not recommended during HIGH avalanche danger.
The full avalanche forecast is available on the Sierra Avalanche Center website.
(Washoe County contributed to this story.)
