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INCIDENT OVERVIEW

This InciWeb page provides visitors and residents traveling to and recreating on the Inyo National Forest (Forest) following the recent historic winter precipitation over the Sierra Nevada.

The Forest encourages visitors to use this information so they may be prepared for potential hazards they may encounter, such as flooding, rock falls, fallen trees and other debris brought down by avalanches, and overall road damage.

CURRENT SITUATION

Current Forest Road Conditions: www.fs.usda.gov/detail/inyo/alerts-notices/?cid=fseprd1074725

Forest Service Staff continues to assess road and recreation area conditions across the Inyo National Forest as conditions allow.

Forest Recreation Service staff continues to evaluate which facilities can be opened and accessed.

GENERAL AREA CONDITIONS

The winter of 2022-2023 is the largest recorded winter snowfall for California mountains, at 300% of average snowpack. The spring had been cool, limiting the snowmelt. However, weather forecast for early July has very warm temperatures for the area. This means there’s a lot of snow out there to melt and can cause potential flooding and swift, cold water flows.

California’s historic snowpack is now starting to melt with warming springtime temperatures, causing the levels of creeks, streams, and rivers to rise significantly and flood some areas. According to the National Weather Service, the bulk of the flooding may happen in late May to early August, however it will continue to persist into fall because of the depth and density of the snowpack.

INYO NATIONAL FOREST SNOWMELT FLOOD INFORMATION

Inyo National Forest welcomes visitors to enjoy this unusually lush and beautiful spring and summer, but please proceed with caution. Not every trail or road has been surveyed and deemed “safe” to recreate on, so it is up to you to look out for your own safety and plan for any unexpected changes to your trip.

There is a heightened risk of flooding, landslides, debris flows, road/trail washouts and avalanches. And with the combination of extended hot weather and abundant snow means certain areas may remain above flood stage for some time.

Creeks and streams will be at higher flows for longer into the year, making them challenging or impossible to cross. Steep snowbanks on either side of streams and creeks may add additional challenges to crossing.

Campgrounds:

In addition to the prolonged presence of snow, downed trees, log jams, and rock falls are delaying the openings of several of the Forest’s campground facilities. Forest recreation staff are working with the concessionaires to clear these obstacles and get the campgrounds open as soon as possible.

Want to know the status of a campground? Please visit the Inyo National Forest’s RECREATION page.

Trails:

The trails may also be heavily eroded, have mudslides, rockfalls, and/or downed trees and the work to repair them will be delayed as the Forest works hard with its partner organizations to triage and repair the most dangerous areas of trail that need it.

Keep in mind, Forest hiking trails are still covered in snow, and accessing some trailheads will be delayed or impossible as the snow continues to melt.

Additionally, there are still dangers of avalanches happening. Be sure to check on the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center website on conditions before you go: www.esavalanche.org

While hiking, it will be wet and muddy and may have sections of flowing or standing water on them. With that, the Forest does expect the mosquitoes to be out this year with force.

HOW YOU CAN PREPARE

As temperatures continue to rise, and the snow continues to melt, the National Weather Service (NWS) can issue flood advisories for the local forest area. Certain areas can come under flood warnings or watches, and the Forest will not be closing those areas because of that.

It is up to you to keep up on the flood advisories and make your plans accordingly. It might be a good idea to sign up for notifications from the NWS’s social media pages:

Forest visitors should be prepared for the possibility of road closures and tire chain requirements. Please check these online websites for current road conditions:

Lastly, if you are a resident of the Eastern Sierra or Owens Valley, the Counties of Inyo and Mono have developed extremely helpful websites to assist residents in emergency response:

FLOOD SAFETY TIPS

If you are under a flood warning:

• Find safe shelter right away.
• Do not walk, swim, or drive through flood waters.
• Turn Around, Don’t Drown!
• Remember, just six inches of moving water can knock you down, and one foot of moving water can sweep your vehicle away.
• Stay off bridges over fast-moving water.
• Depending on the type of flooding:
• Evacuate if told to do so.
• Move to higher ground or a higher floor.
• Stay where you are.