Boletín de aludes

Turnagain Pass and Girdwood

Chugach National Forest Avalanche Center
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Peligro de aludes

Mon
Alta montaña
3 · Notable
Límite del bosque
3 · Notable
Bajo el límite
2 · Moderado
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Desactualizado: este boletín caducó last year. Estás viendo condiciones pasadas, no el boletín vigente.

Lo esencial

Chances are high that a person can trigger a large avalanche on a layer of surface hoar buried 1 to 2 feet deep. This may or may not give warning signs even when conditions are dangerous. Strong east winds will continue to blow snow into reactive slabs through the day. This increases the chances of triggering an avalanche failing closer to the surface, and it may make it easier to trigger a bigger avalanche on that buried weak layer. It can be hard to know the odds of triggering an avalanche on a specific slope, so for now it is a good idea to avoid steep terrain.

Problemas de aludes

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alta montaña
    • Límite del bosque
    • Bajo el límite del bosque
    Probabilidad
    Likely
    Tamaño
    1.5–2.5

    The Valentine's Day surface hoar layer remains a concern for large parts of our advisory area. Chances of triggering a large avalanche on this layer remain high as the winds pick up today. This layer is buried 1 to 2 feet deep on average, and is starting to take a little more work to identify as it gets buried deeper. It seems to be most problematic in areas that were sheltered from winds during the early February dry spell, at elevations above 1500'. It was responsible for several avalanches last week, including two events that caught and carried people on Seattle Ridge (more details here, here and here).

    From what we've seen over the past week, the weak layer exists across most of the forecast area, but it does not exist on every slope. This slope-scale variability can make it hard to assess conditions on a specific piece of terrain. You could easily dig a quick pit and see no signs for concern, then move a few hundred feet away and trigger a big avalanche. With that kind of uncertainty and the high likelihood of triggering an avalanche, the best bet for now is to avoid steep terrain. We've seen multiple avalanches triggered remotely from low-angle terrain connected to steeper slopes. Keep this in mind as you travel, and be aware of steep overhead terrain.

    Loose snow avalanches will become more likely if the sun pokes through the clouds. There is around a foot of soft snow on the surface now, which will probably start releasing naturally if it heats up before it has a chance to settle. This may trigger a larger avalanche failing on that buried weak layer.

    Cornices have been growing with continued winds and new snow. These can fail naturally, and they are easily triggered by the weight of a person. Avoid spending time below them, and give them plenty of space if you are traveling along ridgelines.

    Glide Avalanches: Glide cracks are still on the move, and we still don't know when they will release. These avalanches are very large and very unpredictable. The only way to manage them is to avoid spending time under open glide cracks.

    (3/1/2025) The 2/14 buried surface hoar very visually obvious in a wind protected location around 1800' on Sunburst. Photo: Moderow / Johnston-Bloom

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alta montaña
    • Límite del bosque
    • Bajo el límite del bosque
    Probabilidad
    Likely
    Tamaño
    1–2

    The wind is expected to pick up today, and this will make a fresh round of reactive wind slabs at upper elevations. These could be 1 to 2 feet deep, and they will be sitting on top of a snowpack with a known weak layer. This increases the chances of natural and human-triggered avalanches. The most dangerous terrain will be at higher elevations below ridgelines, in steep gullies, and below convex rollovers. This is another good reason to avoid steep terrain today.

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