Boletín de aludes

Continental

Valdez Avalanche Center
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Peligro de aludes

Alta montaña
3 · Notable
Límite del bosque
3 · Notable
Bajo el límite
3 · Notable
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Desactualizado: este boletín caducó 6 months ago. Estás viendo condiciones pasadas, no el boletín vigente.

Lo esencial

The avalanche hazard is considerable. Large human triggered avalanches remain likely in steep alpine terrain as well as isolated steep terrain in lower elevations. Slab avalanches 2-3 feet deep may be capable of affecting large pieces of terrain in steep alpine terrain. Smaller avalanches 1-2 feet in lower elevations may also be likely today. Buried weak snow can be found at all elevations and is contributing to a persistent instability. Manage your terrain today by reducing exposure to large slopes over 30 degrees. Recent avalanche activity is a clear indication of hazardous conditions. 

Public avalanche forecasts are issued Wednesday-Sunday at 8 am. 

Problemas de aludes

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alta montaña
    • Límite del bosque
    • Bajo el límite del bosque
    Probabilidad
    Likely
    Tamaño
    2–3

    Recently numerous naturally tiggered persistent slab avalanches released through Thompson Pass as well as areas further from the road. Many of these involved impressive propagation lengths with the N Catchers Mitt slide being almost a mile wide (see pictures). These long and erratic fracture lines are a good indicator that a persistent weak layer is responsible for the activity. This type of problem can remain reactive much longer than typical storm snow instabilities. We are keeping the hazard elevated until we gain more information recarding the sensitivity of this problem. 

    An additional weak layer of large and intact surface hoar at the bottom of a thin snowpack below 3000 feet, in the continental zone, is showing reactivity in pit tests. We have yet to see any recent avalanche activity on this layer but it will be very likely to be a concern with additional loading or changes in the overlying slab. Caution is advised on when travelling on or below terrain over 32 degrees.  

    It will remain likely for a person to trigger a large widely propagating avalanche, 2-3 feet deep in alpine terrain. Smaller hazardous avalanches in lower elvations where burried surface hoar exists will also be likely in specific areas. We recommend limiting travel to simple terrain under 32 degrees that is not connected to or underneath avalanche terrain. 

    Windslab: Wind stiffened or slabby snow in specific areas will likley make this problem more sensitive. 

    (2/13/2026)

    Naturally triggered persistent slab on N oddessey. The long irregular fracture line that crosses terrain features is an indicator of a burried persistent weak layer.

    Photo: Joshua McDonald

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alta montaña
    • Límite del bosque
    • Bajo el límite del bosque
    Probabilidad
    Unlikely
    Tamaño
    2–3

    The weak facets near the ground in the shallow snowpack below 3000 feet also exist in upper elevations burried over a meter deep. Triggering this layer is unlikely due to its deep burial. Although unlikely, conseqquences of an avalanche would be severe so we recommend keeping this problem on your radar. Shallow areas where the layer is closer to the surface are more liklely to be effected by a person or snowmachine. These include rocky ridges/ourcrops and other high points that may have been scoured by the wind.  Persistent slab avalanches (problem 1) could possibility step down into this layer creating a very large avalanche.

    Travel advice: Avoid committing to big, consequential terrain where a deep release would be unsurvivable. Choose routes that minimize time spent under overhead start zones and avoid thin, rocky trigger points.

    (1/23/2026)

    Large connected natural hard slab avalanche associated with our deep persistent weak layer. Mt Dimond north face

    Photo: Gareth Brown

Avalanche Discussion

Avalanche activity in the last 72 hours: 

-Numerous large naturally triggered persistent slab avalanches over a widespread area. Thompson Pass Corridor (Tones Temple, Little Oddesey, Oddesey, and N cathers Mitt). Tonsina Glacier 

-small to large slab avlanches reported up Bear Creek near ice climing routes

--Photos at the bottom of the page show avalanches from last week that failed on our persistent weak layer. These avalanches are older than 72 hours, but the layer that these avalanches failed on is still very much a concern. Detailed acounts of these avalanches can be found in the observations/avalanche tab.

Forecast Discussion

Recent Persistent slab avalanche activity through Thompson Pass corridor and areas further from the road indicates elevated instability. . We have been seeing human triggered and natural avalanche activity on this layer for over a week now. Due to the nature of this problem we expect the instability to linger for longer than expected with a simple storm slab or windslab problem.  Although you may experience conditions that feel stable this does not indicate the absence of hazard.  This problem has produced minimal activity in the port but we cant yet rule out the possibility of huan triggered avalanches in mid to upper elevations. 

Relatively mild conditions will prevail through the week giving our snowpack time to adjust to recent snow loads from the week and slowly gain strength. There is some uncertainty regarding how much time it will take for the persistent slab problems to "heal". Until we gain more info we will be treading lightly while seeking terrain with minimal exposure. 

We expect the very large and intact bruried surface hoar in the continental zone to persist for quite some time until it is crushed by a significant load of snow or eroded by warmer tempuratures. 

For more information regarding our snowpack, see our Season summary, Observations, and avalanche activity sections.   

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