Avalanche forecast

Hatcher Pass

Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired 4 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

The avalanche danger is MODERATE above 2,500' for WIND SLAB and PERSISTENT SLAB avalanches. Below that, the danger is LOW.

Small natural avalanches and larger human-triggered avalanches in specific terrain features are possible. Expect the hazard to increase with more snowfall later today and into tomorrow, and as you climb in elevation. 

Since Wednesday, Hatcher Pass has received incremental snowfall up to 7" over the course of 48 hours. New snow has fallen on firm surfaces and areas with weak, sugary snow below. 

Approach steep terrain features with caution. Tight features could turn a small avalanche into a larger, more consequential one. Consider spotting partners one at a time on suspect slopes. 

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS: 

Saturday 4/18 12-3:30pm Join us at the Independence Mine parking lot to celebrate the end of our forecast season. Whether it is snowing or not, we will be grilling FREE hot dogs and sharing beverages, and we would love to see you there! 

DONATE - HPAC is a nonprofit avalanche center, meaning our fundraising doesn't come from the state or federal government. We rely on local businesses and community support to bring you the most accurate avalanche information for Hatcher Pass. Donate here to contribute to our Spring Fundraising Drive. Any amount is encouraged, thanks to a generous donor, all gifts will be matched up to $5k until May 1.

Survey- If you read the forecast, submitted an observation, saw our social media, or even if you just enjoyed the snow at the Pass this winter, please fill out this brief survey to help us better understand Hatcher Pass and how we can improve our messaging and information. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    You are most likely to trigger new snow avalanches on leeward and crossloaded slopes where winds have built stiffened slabs of snow near or below ridgelines. 

    In the last 24 hours, moderate southeasterly winds consistently gusted strong at or above 25 miles per hour on Hatch Peak station. Observed and reported winds were lighter elsewhere in the forecast area. Be on the lookout for areas where stiff drifts feel hollow, punchy and firm near ridgetops and on cross-loaded mid-slope features. 

    Shooting cracks and collapses are good indicators that you have found reactive wind slabs. Isolate slabs over be surfaces and weak layers by doing hand shears in the upper 2' of snow as you travel and approach steep terrain below ridgelines with caution by assessing as you travel and only exposing one person at a time. 

    DRY LOOSE: 

    In upper-elevations where it has remained colder and the wind has not stiffened the snow, expect to be able to kick off small, dry loose avalanches. You are most likely to get a dry loose sluff on shady aspects where new snow has fallen over stiff, old buried wind slabs in terrain steeper than 35 degrees. It would not be impossible to get loose storm snow to move downhill on solar aspects where it has fallen over melt freeze crusts. Manage this problem by selecting clean runouts and 

    Winds consistently gusted above 25 mph, enough to build some shallow, reactive wind slabs. (4/17/2026) Photo: Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    New snow will incrementally increase the sensitivity of shallow-buried weak layers in the upper snowpack today. You may be able to trigger persistent slab avalanches up to 1.5' deep. 

    You are most likely to encounter these pockets on northerly slopes in steep and extreme terrain above 35 degrees, where weak snow lingers below old, buried wind crusts. The snow below the old wind crusts is exceptionally weak, and additional weight accumulated over the last few days of incremental snowfall may be enough to increase your odds of triggering a slide. The shading above represents where you are most likely to find old wind crusts above facets, but be wary of any slope where you find this setup. It would not be impossible to find this structure on a solar aspect where now buried, brittle melt-freeze crusts overlay sugary snow below. 

    The best way to manage this problem is to ski or ride slopes one at a time and be wary of slopes where you find thin, softer slabs of snow connecting to thicker drifts (this is where you could trigger larger slides similar to the 3/31 slide on Marmot). You can further hedge your bets by digging down into the upper 1' to 2' of the snowpack, looking for weak snow below surficial wind drifts and crusts. 

    (4/8/2026)

    New snow is falling on weak structure in the upper snowpack, particularly on northerly aspects. Expect the sensitivity to trigger and size of avalanches to increase as we continue to get more snow. 

    Photo: Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center

Avalanche Discussion

We are in a welcomed paradigm shift. As you poke into terrain today and this weekend, remember that we are in this weather pattern for a while with more on the way. Improved surface conditions will also mean more stress on buried weak layers in the snowpack, and some uncertainty remains about how reactive they will be with slow, incremental loading. 

WET LOOSE: Wet loose avalanches are less likely but not out of the question today. Colder overnight temperatures mean surfaces will start off cool today as clouds and intermittent snow continues. While wet loose activity is less likely, if the sun comes out or snow turns to rain, it may be possible to small sluffs in steep terrain. These could entrain a large amount of snow as they travel down the slope. Watch your sluff and avoid steep slopes as they become soft, punchy, or unstable. Should you see these signs of a wet upper snowpack, stay away from lingering under steep terrain and avoid traveling in creeks and gullies. 

RECENT AVALANCHES: 

This last week, we have seen several small and shallow pockets of stubborn persistent slabs. None of these have been big enough to carry or bury a person, but the takeaway from recent avalanches and poor stability tests is that we are not out of the woods yet for dry snow avalanches. This followed a natural wet loose cycle. We have not seen any avalanches large enough to carry and fully bury a person since the 3/31 Marmot slide. No natural activity was observed yesterday (Thursday) during a brief break in visibility, aside from some small sluffs in Death Gully on Marmot (WSW aspect). 

Regions covered