Our friends at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and Montana State University are conducting a survey to learn how winter backcountry use has changed due to Covid 19. Survey Link
Our friends at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and Montana State University are conducting a survey to learn how winter backcountry use has changed due to Covid 19. Survey Link
Please remember that these observations indicate what was going on in the snowpack at a single point in time and space. They may not represent conditions where you are or where you plan to be. They also come from a variety of sources. BAC cannot vouch for the quality or accuracy of any observations that come from the general public. Some of these may be professional quality observations; some may not. Please use observations listed on this page as part of your information gathering process, but as always, don't make decisions based on a single piece of information.
If you are looking for more information on how to understand the information on this page, all of the snowpit data graphs and stability tests are part of what is presented in a Level II avalanche class that follows the American Avalanche Association (AAA) or American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) curriculum guidelines. All of the coding and abbreviations for data presented follows the publication "Snow, Weather, and Avalanches: Observational Guidelines for Avalanche Programs in the United States" (SWAG), which is the standard for all professional avalanche programs in the US. An electronic copy is available here. Most of what you are looking for is in Chapter 2 and Appendix F part 1. We use two apps - SnowPilot and AvyLab - to create the snowpit graphs. These apps are available as downloads: click here for the free SnowPilot download; for AvyLab, visit Apple's AppStore or the AvyLab website
Location | Region | Observation Type |
Date and time of observation or avalanche occurrence![]() |
Avalanche observation video | Avalanche photos | Snowpit videos (tests, etc) | Snowpack photos | Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph | Observation made by |
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Red Lake trees | BWRA | Snowpack Observation | 01/08/2021 - 12:30 |
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Public | |||
BWRA near Little Sardine Meadow | BWRA | Snowpack Observation | 01/07/2021 - 14:00 |
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Avalanche Specialist | ||||
Jct 108, Leavitt Lk Road | BWRA | Snowpack Observation | 01/05/2021 - 13:56 |
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Avalanche Specialist | ||||
Eagle Ridge | Other Area | Snowpack Observation | 01/05/2021 - 09:00 |
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Avalanche Specialist | ||||
Virginia Lakes above Red Lake | Other Area | Snowpack Observation | 01/04/2021 - 14:00 |
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Avalanche Specialist | ||||
Virginia Lakes - Summit Pass | Other Area | Snowpack Observation | 01/01/2021 - 12:00 |
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Avalanche Specialist | ||||
Virginia Lakes above Red Lake | Other Area | Snowpack Observation | 12/31/2020 - 13:00 |
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Avalanche Specialist | ||||
Virginia Lakes | Other Area | Avalanche Observation | 12/26/2020 - 14:00 |
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Avalanche Specialist | |||
Near Sonora Pass | BWRA | Snowpack Observation | 12/25/2020 - 12:30 |
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Professional Observer | |||
Above Ski Lake | BWRA | Snowpack Observation | 01/24/2020 - 14:00 |
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Professional Observer | ||||
Rip It | BWRA | Avalanche Observation | 01/18/2020 - 00:51 |
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Public | ||||
Above Sardine Mdw | BWRA | Snowpack Observation | 01/17/2020 - 11:00 |
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Public | |||
Leavitt Lake Road | BWRA | Avalanche Observation | 01/16/2020 - 22:34 |
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Professional Observer | ||||
Sardine Falls- Rip It Bowl | BWRA | Avalanche Observation | 05/27/2019 - 07:14 |
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Avalanche Specialist | ||||
Black Mountain | Other Area | Avalanche Observation | 05/26/2019 - 07:10 |
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Avalanche Specialist |
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