This is an archived product related to a fatal avalanche incident on Feb 17. The group set out on the 15th to their hut destination and the bulletin for the 15th follows below. Central Sierra Nevada Avalanche Warning ISSUED Tue, Feb 17, 2026 - 5:00AM EXPIRES Thu, Feb 19, 2026 - 5:00AM Issued: Tuesday, February 17, 2026 - 6:29AM Expires: Wednesday, February 18, 2026 - 4:00AM Author: Brandon Schwartz THE BOTTOM LINE Travel in, near, or below avalanche terrain is not recommended today. A widespread natural avalanche cycle is expected over the next 24 hours. Large avalanches may run through treed areas. If attempting travel today in non-avalanche terrain, be certain that there are no steeper slopes connected to the terrain you are traveling, either above or to the side. Avalanche Danger Tuesday, February 17, 2026 Above, Near, and Below Treeline4 - High Avalanche Problems (1) Problem #1: Storm Slab Aspect/Elevation: All/All Likelihood: Very Likely Size: Large (D2) to Very Large (D3) Widespread areas of unstable snow and numerous avalanches are expected today. Avalanches could be triggered from very low on the slope in some areas. Avalanches from above could travel down through treed terrain, often thought of as "safe" during storms. Travel in, near, or below avalanche terrain is not recommended. If attempting travel today in non-avalanche terrain, be certain that there are no steeper slopes connected to the terrain you are traveling, either above or to the side. Plan for extremely poor visibility of the surrounding terrain and challenging navigation. Anticipate that any organized rescue efforts may be significantly delayed or may not occur if you experience a mishap in the backcountry under these conditions. High intensity snowfall will fuel ongoing storm slab instability today. All avalanche terrain is suspect. A widespread natural avalanche cycle is expected over the next 24 hours. Where the additional new snow load is added above the weak, faceted (sugary) Feb 10 layer across NW-N-NE aspects, avalanches could break wider than expected or trigger from lower on the slope than expected. The Feb 10 layer is weakest in areas above about 7,500'. Forecast Discussion Weak snow (near-surface facets) formed on many NW-N-NE aspects during the recent, extended dry spell. This weak layer was buried by new snow on Feb 10. Most areas have a thin rain crust along the top of the facet layer up to 8,600 to 8,800 ft. This weak layer is expected to reach the point of failure today in some areas. Weak layers, similar to the Feb 10 facet layer, have contributed to large avalanches and avalanche fatalities within our forecast area in the past. Lower elevation areas and sun-exposed slopes experienced significant snowmelt over the past 3 weeks, exposing areas of dirt, rock, and downed trees. These hazards and obstacles now lie hidden, covered by low density new snow. This creates a hazard situation similar to early season coverage in some areas. Additionally, deep open holes, open creeks, and ponded water are widespread in low-lying areas, especially below 8,000'. Mountain Weather A multi day storm continues to impact the region. Ridgetop winds out of the SW increased to gale force/extreme in speed yesterday afternoon. These extreme winds are forecast to continue through tonight. A cold front passed through the region last night, significantly decreasing air temperatures across the area. Snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour are expected this morning. Snowfall rates are forecast to increase to 2 to 3 inches per hour this afternoon. Snow showers are expected to linger over the forecast area tomorrow. This is an archived product related to a fatal incident on Feb 17. The group was on a hut based trip and had set out on Feb 15 and the bulletin below is what was available at the start of the trip. Central Sierra Nevada Avalanche Watch ISSUED Sun, Feb 15, 2026 - 7:45 AMEXPIRES Tue, Feb 17, 2026 - 5:00AM Issued: Sunday, February 15, 2026 - 6:49AM Expires: Monday, February 16, 2026 - 4:00AM Author: Brandon Schwartz THE BOTTOM LINE Blowing and drifting snow is expected to form new, potentially unstable slabs today in places that are filling in with wind drifted snow. Low to mid elevation slopes with direct sun exposure and wind protection may experience small amounts of unstable wet snow. Move cautiously around areas where clues to unstable snow such as visible blowing snow, cracking, collapsing, or surface wet snow are present. Avalanche Danger Sunday, February 15, 2026 Above, Near and Below Treeline: 2 - Moderate Monday, February 16, 2026 Above, Near and Below Treeline: 3 - Considerable Avalanche Problems (2) Problem #1: Wind Slab Aspect/Elevation: Near and Above Treeline, NW-NE-SE Likelihood: Possible Size: Small (D1) to Large (D2) Blowing and drifting snow is expected today due to strong winds. Identify areas where visible drifting snow is depositing and filling in areas of terrain. Signs of unstable wind slab include cracking, collapsing, or the presence of denser wind drifted snow on top of softer snow. Identify areas of wind slab and move cautiously around them. Ridgetop winds increased last night out of the S to SW and are exceeding forecast wind speeds this morning with gusts in the 60-80 mph range. Recent new snow on the ground is expected to drift and redistribute today, creating new wind slabs. Places where the additional load of wind drifted snow is added over the weak, faceted (sugary) Feb 10 layer could have avalanches that break wider than expected or are triggered lower on the slope than expected. Any collapses or whumpfing noises indicated that you have found a slab on top of the Feb 10 layer. The same advice applies here: Identify areas of wind slab and move cautiously around them. Problem #2: Wet Loose Aspect/Elevation: W-S-E Near and Below Treeline Likelihood: Possible Size: Small (D1) Keep an eye out for clues to developing unstable wet snow. If the snow surface begins to feel wet or you start to see roller balls or pinwheels, it's time to move off slopes steep enough for wet, loose snow to slide down. Moving to places with colder snow or recreating on less steep slopes can help reduce your exposure to wet loose avalanches. Strong winds are expected to minimize the amount of snow surface melt in wind exposed areas today. Wind protected areas at mid slope and below can expect another round of snow surface melt. Expect the slopes that receive the most direct sun exposure and wind protection to experience the most warming. Consider the consequences of down slope hazards such as rocks, trees, cliffs, and terrain traps, and what would happen if you were pushed into or over them by a small avalanche. Forecast Discussion Weak snow (near-surface facets) formed on many NW-N-NE aspects during the recent, extended dry spell. This weak layer was buried by new snow on Feb 10. Most areas have a thin rain crust along the top of the facet layer up to 8,600 to 8,800 ft. Snowpit observations and tests indicate that this layer remains weak going into the approaching storm cycle. Weak layers similar to this Feb 10 facet layer have contributed to large avalanches in the past. Lower elevation areas and sun-exposed slopes experienced significant snowmelt over the past 3 weeks, exposing areas of dirt, rock, and downed trees. These hazards and obstacles now lie hidden, barely covered by a few inches of new snow from last week. Additionally, deep open holes, open creeks, and ponded water are widespread in low-lying areas, especially below 8,000'. Mountain Weather Sunny skies and strong winds are expected today. Ridgetop winds are already exceeding forecast speeds this morning. Maximum daytime air temperatures are expected to be a couple of degrees colder than yesterday. A powerful multi day winter storm arrives this evening. Snowfall is forecast to begin tonight and continue for several days. Snow levels are expected to start at around 6,000', lowering to below 4,000' as the storm progresses. For the latest info on this approaching storm, check in with NWS Reno.