For a growing number of people who ski and snowboard out of bounds and in the backcountry, the daily avalanche forecasts written by the Sierra Avalanche Center provide crucial, life-saving information about the stability of the snowpack and the risk of avalanches in Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada.

The Sierra Avalanche Center supplies life saving avalanche forecasts for the greater Lake Tahoe region seven days a week, but this could soon be in jeopardy as a

An avalanche watch was reported by the National Weather Service on Wednesday at 8:27 a.m. in effect until Thursday at 5 a.m. for Greater Lake Tahoe area.

On Friday at 7:24 a.m. the NWS Reno NV reported an avalanche warning in effect until 7 p.m. for Lake Tahoe. The NWS describes, "The avalanche danger remains HIGH in the backcountry through this evening."

The ski resort Mammoth Mountain shut down all lift operations on Friday after an avalanche slid on Lincoln Mountain, a popular area known for steep tree skiing and chutes, according to the ski resort’s website.

The Sierra Avalanche Center said the losing an avalanche forecaster would reduce the number of weekly forecasts it publishes.

Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort announced Friday that two patrol staff were caught in an avalanche on Lincoln Mountain. The event occurred during avalanche mitigation work, following the significant snowpack.