Good morning, this is Sue Burak with the Inyo National Forest Eastern
   Sierra Avalanche Center with an avalanche advisory posted on Thursday,
   May 1, 2008.

   A big thank you to everyone who has sent in a letter of support. I am
   still in need for more letters, so please keep em coming!

   MOUNTAIN WEATHER

   After a 20 F drop in temperature since Monday, expect a few 5 to 7
   degrees of warming today. However temperatures remain about 10 degrees
   below normal with northerly winds continuing through the day. Higher
   elevations will continue to be breezy with average wind speeds 10 to 15
   mph gusting to 35 mph. Above 10,000 ft., northwest winds will be
   stronger with gusts increasing from 35 to 60 mph in the afternoon.

   A high pressure ridge builds into the area today then moves to the east
   ahead of the next trough that will move over the Sierra this weekend.
   Temperatures will warm to seasonal on Friday and the weekend. Expect
   highs above 10,000 ft in the low 40s with a good refreeze at night,
   unlike last weekend.

   The weekend forecast is for cloudy skies and scattered snow showers as
   a potentially stronger storm drops in from the north. Elevations above
   10,000 ft have a 20% chance of snow on Saturday and Saturday night.
   Isolated snow showers will occur over the Sierra Crest though not much
   accumulation is expected

   SNOWPACK AND AVALANCHE DISCUSSION

   The last two days were cold and windy in the high country and the snow
   did not soften much except on west aspects in the afternoon. Conditions
   will improve today and Friday with mostly clear skies, though north
   winds will continue to plague ridgetops.

   The snowpack above 9,600 ft is not melting. Though creeks are opening,
   streams have low flows which indicate the snow has yet to begin
   melting. With the cold temperatures over the last two days, todays
   clear skies and warmer temperatures will help soften the snow surface
   but the avalanche danger rating remains LOW for today.

   Below about 9,600 ft. the snowpack is isothermal on east, south and
   wets aspects. Surface melt has infiltrated through the ice lens and the
   ground is wet. Shaded north slopes remain below 0C below the ice lens
   but I think the snow will go isothermal by the weekend and begin to
   melt. Its going to be a while before higher elevations begin to melt.

   One party reported deposits of wind blown snow at the very top of one
   of the Powerhouse Chutes. The snow was not supportable and they broke
   through to the ice crust.

   Over the weekend, one skier found himself in a slow group on Birch
   Mountain and when we began our descent, I was pretty horrified to see
   that Birch Mountain's entire east face was in shadow. Those sun cups
   were freezing by the minute, and we had 7000 vertical feet of them to
   face. While Birch Mountain must surely rank among the finest
   backcountry skiing mountains in the southern Sierra, I must say 7,000
   vertical feet of sun cups served up the worst sustained skiing I've
   ever faced. Thanks to Andrew Lewicky of SierraDescents.com for his
   report.

   Another group had a different take on the snowpack earlier this week,
   and enjoyed good skiing in the northeast facing bowl to the south of
   Half Moon Pass up Rock Creek. They noticed wetter, mushier conditions
   as the morning went on. When they returned to their car, they noticed a
   wet sluff avalanche had occurred, sometime between 1-1:15PM that
   obliterated the upper section of the area they had been skiing.

   With cold temperatures today, there will be some surface melt but not
   enough to raise the danger rating to MODERATE in the afternoon. For
   today, the avalanche danger rating is LOW. These rating will change
   with continued warming by the weekend.

   BOTTOM LINE
   With cold temperatures today, there will be some surface melt but not
   enough to raise the danger rating to MODERATE in the afternoon. For
   today, the avalanche danger rating is LOW. These rating will change
   with continued warming by the weekend.

   Please note that the avalanche danger rating in this advisory expires
   in 24 hours. This advisory is our best interpretation of snow pack
   conditions and NWS forecasts issued today. Backcountry travelers should
   be aware that elevation and geographic distinctions are approximate and
   that a transition zone exists between upper and lower elevations.

   Avalanches do not happen by accident and most human involvement is a
   matter of choice not chance. Most avalanche accidents are caused by
   slab avalanches that are triggered by the victim of member of the
   victim's party. Even small slides can be dangerous. Always practice
   route finding skills and carry avalanche rescue gear. Remember that
   avalanche danger ratings are only general guidelines. Distinctions
   between geographic areas, elevations, slope aspects and slope angles
   should be made.