Seward and Lost Lake
Peligro de aludes
Lo esencial
After 2 weeks of calm weather, it is unlikely a person could trigger an avalanche in Seward or Lost Lake today. There is always a chance we could find a pocket of unstable snow especially in steep and rocky terrain. Maintain safe travel systems including checking safety gear at the parking lot, traveling one at a time in steep terrain, and watching partners closely in case you trigger a surprise avalanche.
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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Researchers Ian McCammon and Sara Boilen are developing new tools for managing human factors for backcountry skiers and boarders. This survey asks about personal experiences with human factors and will take 7-8 minutes to complete. Link is HERE. Thank you for your help!
Avalanche Discussion
It has been 2 weeks since anyone has reported avalanche activity in the Seward and Lost Lake area besides small loose avalanches. It is always good practice to maintain safe travel systems even during periods of LOW danger. These systems ensure only one person would get caught if we get surprised. Spreading out on slopes steeper than 25° and going one at a time on slopes greater than 30° also helps to prevent an avalanche from being triggered because it spreads out the weight, reducing the chances of reaching the weak layer. These systems also help keep us safe when conditions are more dangerous.
Wet Loose Avalanches: Skies are cloudy this morning so this is unlikely, but it could be anytime now that the sun and temperatures are just warm enough to tip the scale and trigger more widespread natural Wet Loose avalanches. These typically occur near rocks at first and can be preceded by roller balls. This type of avalanche may be especially likely below 2,500' on steep solar facing slopes where temperatures are a bit warmer than the ridgelines. Initally, these may be small enough to manage, but if you are sinking up to your shin in wet snow it's time to find a colder aspect.
Dry Loose Snow Avalanches: Dry Loose avalanches are likely to be triggered by a person on any steep slope that is holding cold snow. Consider the consequences if you get caught up in the sluff.