Good morning, this is Sue Burak with the Inyo National Forests Eastern Sierra Avalanche Centers advisory posted on the afternoon of May 16, 2008. SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT The last few days of unusually high daytime temperatures and warm nights have resulted in rapid snow melt. East side streams are running above normal for this time of year. Lee Vining Creek, the streams running down to Walker and Parker Lakes, Mc Gee Creek, Pine Creek, Bishop Creek and Big Pine Creek are high with spring runoff. The best time to cross is early in the morning but remember you may have to cross again in the afternoon when flows are highest. MOUNTAIN WEATHER Wow, it is HOT in the high country. Todays high temperatures are in the low 60s at the 10,000 and 11,000 ft elevations. Tioga Pass reached 65F today and the high at 11,400 ft on Bishop Pass was 60 F. The high temperature today at the summit of White Mountain, 14,246 ft almost reached 50 F. Might as well forget about the snowpack freezing at night. Though the snow surface will be somewhat firm in the morning due to radiational cooling, the snow becomes slushy by mid morning. Night time lows will be around 40 F in most locations. Saturday and Sunday will see record breaking high temperatures before a cooling trend begins by Tuesday SNOWPACK AND AVALANCHE DISCUSSION Its hard to get out early enough to catch the best skiing conditions when lows are 40F. . Night time lows have been above freezing for three days with the next two days even warmer at night. With snowpack densities well over 50%, there are few reports of collapsing snow except for shallow places in the pack around rocks and rock rollovers. Avoid skiing over shallow convex slopes with water running over the rocks. I saw a large slab detach from near the top of a rollover up Pine Creek Canyon yesterday. Otherwise the snow is supportable. As the ice melts between the rounded melt freeze grains, the strength of the surface snow rapidly goes to zero. Though it is late in the season, usually by this time of year, there have been long periods of warm spring weather. The recent weather is unusually late and though there has not been a widespread avalanche cycle so far this season, I cant say the avalanche danger is over for the season. The usual precautions apply: avoid being on steep slopes with people skiing or riding above you. Pick a line off to the side just in case someone starts a wet sluff above you. The avalanche danger rating for the weekend is LOW in the morning, increasing to MODERATE by mid morning. BOTTOM LINE The usual precautions apply: avoid being on steep slopes with people skiing or riding above you. Pick a line off to the side just in case someone starts a wet sluff above you. The avalanche danger rating for the weekend is LOW in the morning, increasing to MODERATE by mid morning. 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.