Turnagain Pass and Girdwood
Lawinengefahr
Kernpunkte
Avalanche danger remains LOW amid this extended stretch of cold, clear conditions. Natural or human-triggered avalanches are unlikely, though not entirely out of the question. Even in low-danger periods, it's wise to maintain good habits: cross avalanche terrain one at a time, watch your partners closely, and regroup only in safe zones.
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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Free Forecaster Chat at the Breeze Inn in Seward, March 5! Grab some food and drink at 6 pm on March 5 and join CNFAC forecaster Mik Dalpes to discuss the ‘state of the snowpack’, learn about resources on the CNFAC website, discuss tips for managing persistent slab problems, and bring your hard question for a Q&A. The Mt. Alice room is located just off the lobby of The Breeze Inn Hotel, located at 303 North Harbor Dr., right off 3rd Ave in Seward.
Avalanche Discussion
Recent Avalanches: The last avalanches reported in Turnagain Pass and Girdwood occurred 13 days ago in the Crow Creek area. (details are here and here).
The high-pressure system with cold, clear weather will continue through this evening. Avalanche danger remains low, and conditions are staying mostly unchanged. Low danger still means some risk exists. The main concern is isolated wind slabs on steep terrain, which can surprise us even now. Very cold temperatures keep the snow surface stable, but steep south-facing rocky areas may see small wet loose avalanches from the afternoon sun.
Weak faceted layers are buried 2 to 6' deep. Natural or human-triggered avalanches on these layers are unlikely, but a trigger in a thin weak spot could cause a large avalanche. This is most likely in areas with an overall thinner snowpack, like the Crow Creek area in Girwood and in the Summit Lake area.
Light precipitation is expected to begin tonight along with increasing east winds. Expect conditions to begin shifting tomorrow as we return to a more active weather pattern, with the likelihood of natural and human-triggered avalanches gradually increasing as we receive more new snow and wind. Stay tuned for updates.