Avalanche forecast

Summit Lake

Chugach National Forest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

The main concern in the Summit Lake zone is triggering a large avalanche where there is stiff snow sitting on top of weak, faceted snow. This problem can be avoided by looking for terrain with soft snow on the surface in areas that have remained sheltered from recent winds. Additionally, don't forget about the active glide avalanche cycle we are continuing to watch. Avoid traveling under open glide cracks whenever possible since they are very large and release unpredictably. 

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    We are in a bit of a holding pattern with the cold, clear, and calm weather we've seen for the past few days and not much is expected to change avalanche-wise. The most likely way to get into trouble today is by triggering an avalanche failing on weak snow buried 1 to 2' deep where winds previously built stiff slabs on top of a weak, faceted snowpack. We've seen multiple natural avalanches failing on this weak layer within the past week, and that is all the information we need to know that the layer is still reactive. 

    You can manage this problem by avoiding steep terrain with stiff snow on the surface. Instead, look for more stable snow and better surface conditions on slopes that have remain protected from recent winds.

     

    (11/26/2024)

    Start zone and avalanche debris on Summit Mtn. This avalanche released naturally sometime within the past week.

  • Glide Cracks

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2–3

    Glide avalanches are large and unpredictable. Luckily, if we pay close attention to the terrain where we are traveling we can have a really good idea of where the hazard exists. Avoid traveling below slopes where there is an open glide crack. This may look like a gaping brown crack on the slope, or it may be more subtle, like an entire slope with a wrinkled surface. 

    While most of the glide activity we've seen in our advisory area has been in the Turnagain Pass zone, we are also still seeing activity in Summit Lake. This includes cracks slowly opening up as the entire snowpack creeps down the hill, as well as dozens of these cracks releasing into large avalanches failing at the ground. Although it is easy to associate this avalanche problem with warm weather, we often see some of our most active glide cycles during cold snaps like we are currently experiencing.

     

    (11/25/2024)

    Massive gaping glide crack with two recent releases on Wilson South. 

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