Seward and Lost Lake

It is unlikely a person will trigger an avalanche today in the Seward zone. However, we can never rule out the possibility of finding an isolated pocket of unstable snow. It is always a good idea to travel one at a time in steep terrain, watching partners from safe locations outside of runout zones just in case you get caught by surprise. 

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:

The Avalanche Rescue Workshop at Glen Alps his happening Today!  The workshop is free and all experience levels are welcome. Click HERE for more information.

We're expecting another day of quiet weather today before we see a slight increase in winds starting tonight. With no major weather on the way and no avalanche activity in over a week, all signs are pointing to generally stable conditions. It is very unlikely a person will trigger an avalanche today, but we can never rule out that possibility entirely. If you are taking advantage of this spell of good weather and stable conditions to get into steep terrain, there are a few things you can keep in mind to improve your odds of recovering from an unlikely avalanche encounter today:

• Only expose one person at a time in steep terrain, and keep an eye on partners from safe locations outside of runout zones. Think about what it actually means to be in a safe spot; it often means staying farther away from overhead terrain than one would expect.
• Play the what-if game before getting into steep terrain. Do you have an escape route off the slope if you are the unlucky one to trigger a small avalanche? If you are watching your partner, are you close enough to get to them in a reasonable amount of time if they need help?
• Be aware of overhead hazards like cornices  and glide cracks. Both are present across our advisory area, and both can release unexpectedly. If you're traveling along ridgelines, give cornices plenty of room since they often break further back than we'd expect.

We've had a great stretch of weather and stability, but don't let yourself get lulled into complacency. Conditions may be generally stable across a broad area, but there is always some variability that we can't account for. Safe travel protocol can help you recover if your group is the unlucky one to find that unlikely pocket.