Avalanche forecast

Hatcher Pass

Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Out of date — this forecast expired 6 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

The avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE  above 3,500' for WIND SLAB and PERSISTENT SLAB avalanches. The danger is MODERATE below 3,500' for WIND SLAB and PERSISTENT SLAB avalanches. Below 2,500', the danger is MODERATE.

You are most likely to find trouble where winds have built thick drifts of new snow. These most likely exist in steep cross-loaded gullies, convex rolls, or in alpine terrain. 

Snowpack cracking, freshly formed dunes of wind-drifted snow, or a wind-textured snow surface are clues that you have found a wind-loaded slope. 

While less likely, you could still trigger larger, more destructive slides on slopes harboring a shallow snowpack, where buried weak layers near the ground are closer to the surface and easier for a skier or rider to trigger. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    New snow and blustery winds over the last few days have created sensitive drifts of wind-blown snow. Look for signs of wind loading, such as a scalloped or textured snow surface, dunes of wind-drifted snow, or freshly formed cornices near ridgelines—these are all clues that you have found a wind-loaded slope. This problem most likely exists in mid to upper elevation terrain along the sides of steep cross-loaded gullies or convex rolls. Strong winds stripped many slopes to bare ground or old crusts, and loaded others. You may not find obvious signs of wind loading if approaching a slope from a wind-scoured ridge, but that doesn't mean you couldn't find this problem mid-slope. 

    If you find areas where the winds have not built dense drifts, triggering a slide is less likely. However, in very steep terrain, you could trigger dry loose avalanches (sluffs), or you may find areas still harboring storm slab instabilities. These avalanches will be small in size but could entrain more snow as they move downhill, knocking you off your feet or carrying you downhill. 

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    It remains possible to trigger a consequential avalanche 1-3' deep on weak snow near the ground. Despite new snow, the snowpack around Hatcher Pass remains variable and overall shallow. You are most likely to encounter this problem in upper-elevation terrain, where our season's snowpack rests on weak, sugary snow near the ground. At mid elevations below 3,500', it is possible that cumulative snow and wind load has tipped the scale to make this problem more reactive. Your chances of finding and triggering a persistent slab avalanche up to 3' deep will be higher as you gain elevation and proximity to steep, shallow, rocky terrain.

    The easiest way to manage this problem is to select terrain with a steepness of less than about 30 degrees. If you do choose to get into avalanche terrain (slopes steeper than 30 degrees), you can pick terrain with a seemingly uniformly deep snow pack greater than about 3' deep—although be aware that you could trigger a slide from the edges or the middle of a slope where the snowpack is shallow and variable. 

    (2/4/2026) Photo: Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center

    The looker's rights, skier's left flank & crown looks fresher, likely failing on 01/28. 

    It has been more than 10 days since we saw activity on this poor structure: new, incremental snow could tip the balance today. 

Avalanche Discussion

Today is a day to approach steep slopes with some hesitancy—or to avoid them altogether. You are most likely to trigger avalanches where the wind has built thick drifts of new snow. What still concerns us most are the isolated areas within the forecast zone where fresh drifts have formed over a shallow, weak snowpack. In these spots, you could trigger avalanches that fail wider and deeper than you expect.

Lingering persistent slab problems can be frustrating, especially as the season goes on and obvious signs of instability—like cracking and collapsing—become scarce. As we continue to get more snow and the Hatcher Pass snowpack deepens, triggering a slide that fails near the ground will become more difficult. However, we’re not there yet on all slopes. There are still plenty of areas where the snowpack remains thin, variable, and weak.

The takeaway is that today’s avalanche problems are mostly centered on new snow and wind. But if you’re committing to steep slopes, don’t rule out the possibility of triggering a larger, more destructive avalanche that fails near the ground.

RECENT AVALANCHES: 

Forecasters in the field yesterday saw several dry loose avalanches in steep craggy terrain and small wind slabs on steep wind-loaded slopes. See all recent observations here.

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