Lawinenlagebericht

Hatcher Pass

Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Sat
Hochgebirge
1 · Gering
Waldgrenze
1 · Gering
Unterhalb
1 · Gering
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Kernpunkte

Conditions are generally stable, and the avalanche hazard is LOW.  

Triggering large PERSISTENT SLAB avalanches failing near the ground is unlikely. This problem most likely exists on steep, open, rocky slopes where the snowpack remains shallow.It’s possible to trigger a small lingering wind slab or loose snow sluff on steep, upper elevation slopes. 

Clear skies, frigid temperatures, and light winds will dominate the weekend. 

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Lawinenprobleme

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    Natural and human-triggered avalanches are unlikely, but avalanches can still be triggered on isolated features and in extreme terrain. 

    Conditions are generally stable, and travel is safe. 

    Weak snow near the ground remains on our radar in parts of the forecast area, but it has become an increasingly isolated problem.

    Although we haven’t seen recent avalanches failing on deeper layers, snowpit tests still show the potential for propagation, and a few skiers continue to report isolated collapsing. 

    The most likely places to encounter this issue are steep, open, rocky slopes at upper-elevations where the snowpack is still relatively thin and shallow. 

    Additionally, on slopes that have remained exceptionally thin, last week's snow and wind may have formed fresh slabs over weak snow. In those spots, the problem may initially resemble a wind slab, but slides could break wider than you expect. 

    Overall, this concern is limited to thinner, rocky, wind-stiffened areas rather than the majority of terrain.

    A natural persistent slab avalanche in Eldorado Bowl from 1/27 or 1/28 that released near the ground (2/4/2026) Photo: Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center

Avalanche Discussion

Forecast Discussion

It's only snowed about 5 inches in the last ten days. February has been a far cry from January, with only about two feet of snowfall this month. Conditions are currently cold, stale, and winded. Clear skies and surface faceting have helped soften the snow, but expect to find a variety of surfaces throughout the forecast area. 

The snowpack at Hatcher Pass continues to trend at mid-December numbers, with only 9.5'' SWE and a height of snow of 36''. Cold, clear conditions continue to facet the snowpack, even as we move into March. With a relatively thin snowpack throughout the forecast area, this faceting is likely to be taking place deeper in the snowpack as well. Snowpack tests continue to yield propagating results on several layers in the snowpack, including the basal facets. While these results have not been correlated to avalanches on the slope, they do indicate a possibility if and when we receive a load or the slab experiences a significant change. 

RECENT AVALANCHES:

Outside of some small, isolated pockets and test slopes, we've had no reports or observations of avalanches in about a week. We have not observed a persistent slab avalanche failing on weak snow near the ground since 1/31. See all recent observations here.

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