Avalanche forecast

Turnagain Pass and Girdwood

Chugach National Forest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
No rating
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Highlights

Active weather returns today. Wind will be the main concern during the daylight hours, making it easy to trigger an avalanche up to a foot deep on wind loaded slopes, especially at higher elevations. We will likely see some natural avalanche activity as the weather continues to pick up through the day. There is also still a very good chance we will see continued glide avalanche activity. Watch for increasing danger during the day, especially if the precipitation arrives earlier than expected.

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Special Announcements

Looking to dust off your rescue skills? Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center is hosting a free avalanche rescue workshop next Saturday, December 14 at the Hatcher Pass – Fishhook (Marmot) Lot. Visit hpavalanche.org for more info. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    The brief break in the weather we saw yesterday is already passing, and avalanche danger is about to pick up again. Our biggest concerns today are natural and human-triggered wind slabs around a foot deep or deeper. The size and likelihood of these avalanches are expected to increase during the day as the weather intensifies. The most likely terrain to produce avalanches today will be steep slopes below ridgelines, wind loaded gullies, and steep convex rolls. Be aware of the potential for today's strong winds to trigger an avalanche naturally, and pay close attention to the terrain above you.

    Precipitation is expected to begin tonight and continue for the next several days. Avalanche conditions will become even more dangerous as the storm picks up. We saw widespread avalanche activity during the last warm storm (see more details in this observation). This next round is expected to be similar, with rain levels rising up to around 2000' or higher. Pay close attention to the weather while you are out, and expect avalanche danger to rise quickly once the water turns back on.

    There was avalanche debris from multiple large avalanches below the steep terrain on the south-facing slopes off of Eddie's Ridge from the last round of stormy weather. Similar activity is expected to pick up as the active weather returns.

    Photo: Andrew Schauer

  • Glide Cracks

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

    The pace of the glide avalanche cycle has not slowed at all, with new glide avalanches on Max's, Sunburst and Main Bowl yesterday morning. It is hard to say when this will slow down, but with more rain in the near future, it is looking like this will remain a concern at least for the short term. These avalanches are large, dangerous, and unpredictable. You can reduce your exposure by avoiding traveling below open glide cracks. This usually requires getting a good look at overhead terrain before you are directly under the slope as it may be difficult to recognize a glide crack from directly below.

    (12/7/2024)

    This glide avalanche on Sunburst released as the snow finished Friday night or early Saturday morning, immediately to the looker's left of the avalanche we noticed last week.

    Photo: Andrew Schauer

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