Lawinenlagebericht

Seward and Lost Lake

Chugach National Forest Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Fri
Hochgebirge
3 · Erheblich
Waldgrenze
3 · Erheblich
Unterhalb
2 · Mässig
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Kernpunkte

Avalanche conditions remain dangerous as snow continues to fall in Seward and Lost Lake. Avalanches failing within new and windblown snow are likely, and we are also concerned a person can trigger a much larger avalanche on a weak layer of surface hoar buried 2 to 4' deep. Travel cautiously if you are getting out to enjoy this springtime snow, and avoid traveling in steep terrain while the snowpack adjusts to the new load.

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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:

End of Season Operations: Starting next week we will transition to our late season schedule. We will issue avalanche forecasts on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday for the second half of April. We will issue our final forecast of the season on Sunday, April 27.

If you have been traveling in avalanche terrain for at least one season and want to help avalanche researchers develop new tools to assist individuals with managing risk in avalanche terrain, check out this 1-2 minute survey. Participants will be entered to win prizes from Jones Snowboards, BCA, and more!

Lawinenprobleme

  • Storm Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Likely
    Größe
    1–2

    Another round of snow arrived last night after a brief break in the weather yesterday. The mountains near Seward and Lost Lake received 2 to 4" last night, and another 4 to 6" is expected by the end of the day. The series of storms that has been impacting the area over the past week has been tricky to predict, bringing heavy precipitation to isolated areas at times. Places that end up on the higher end of the precipitation forecast today will see higher avalanche danger. We're in an extended period of active weather, and the avalanche conditions are dangerous as a result. Travel cautiously if you are getting out to enjoy all of this new snow, and avoid traveling on or below steep terrain while the snowpack adjusts to this new load.

    The main concerns today include everything we associate with new snow. This includes storm slabs for places seeing 10 to 12" new snow, wind slabs 2' deep or deeper at elevations above treeline, and loose snow avalanches in any steep terrain. These loose snow avalanches will become very likely if the sun makes any kind of appearance. Be on the lookout for steep solar aspects if the clouds break up at all during the day, especially on slopes with trees or rocks that will heat up quickly.

    This latest round of snow will continue to add weight to the weak layer of buried surface hoar that has been a concern for nearly two months, slightly increasing the chances of making a much larger avalanche. More on this in Problem 2 below.

    Cornice Fall: Cornices have been growing during the active weather over the past week. These can release naturally, and may trigger larger avalanches on slopes below. Limit spending time below cornices, and give them plenty of space if you are travelling along ridgelines.

    (4/3/2025)

    Large natural cornice fall near Lost Lake. This was prior to the series of storms that has impacted the area since late last week, but we expect similar activity to remain likely.

    Photo: Daniel Krueger

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    2–3

    This latest round of snow and wind is continuing to add weight to a snowpack with a problematic weak layer of surface hoar buried 2 to 4' deep. While we haven't seen any avalanches on this layer for over a month in the Seward zone, we are still seeing signs for concern in snowpits. This layer has caught many people by surprise over the past two months, often producing avalanches without any kind of warning signs, or when there are dozens of tracks on a slope. We still don't trust it, and it is still a major concern. This is one more good reason to avoid traveling on or below steep terrain.

  • Glide Cracks

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    2–3

    Glide avalanche activity continues throughout our forecast zones, with fresh glide avalanches seen yesterday on the south side of Tincan up at Turnagain Pass. We're in the midst of a very active glide cycle in Girdwood, Turnagain Pass, and Summit Lake, and are seeing very large glide cracks opening up in Seward. These avalanches are large, destructive, and unpredictable. The only way to manage the problem is to avoid spending time under open glide cracks.

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