Turnagain Pass and Girdwood

The avalanche danger remains LOW during this prolonged period of cold and clear weather. Avalanches are unlikely, but not impossible. Practicing safe travel techniques like going one at a time in avalanche terrain, spotting your partners, and grouping up in a safe spot is still recommended during periods of low danger. 

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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Free Forecaster Chat at the Breeze Inn in Seward, March 5! Grab some food and drink at 6pm on March 5 and join CNFAC forecaster Mik Dalpes to discuss the ‘state of the snowpack’, learn about resources on the CNFAC website, discuss tips for managing persistent slab problems, and bring your hard question for a Q & A.  The Mt. Alice room is located just off the lobby of The Breeze Inn Hotel, located at 303 North Harbor Dr. right off 3rd Ave in Seward.

Recent Avalanches: The last avalanches reported in Turnagain Pass and Girdwood occurred 12 days ago in the Crow Creek area. (details are here and here).

The high-pressure system bringing cold and clear weather is expected to persist through Wednesday evening. This will keep the conditions status quo, with generally low avalanche danger. As always, low danger doesn't mean no danger. Isolated wind slab avalanches in steep terrain are the most likely type of avalanche to catch us off guard during low danger conditions. The very cold temperatures are helping to keep the snow surface temperatures low, but in steep, rocky south-facing terrain, the sun is strong enough to produce some small wet loose avalanches in the afternoon.

There are still weak layers of facets buried 2 to 6' deep in the snowpack. Natural and human-triggered avalanches are unlikely on these layers, but if someone triggers an avalanche from a thin and particularly weak spot in the snowpack, it could produce a large avalanche.