Hatcher Pass
Avalanche danger
Highlights
The avalanche danger is LOW at all elevations.
Generally safe avalanche conditions exist in the majority of the forecast area.
Human triggered avalanches in isolated locations are unlikely but not impossible.
We always recommend maintaining good travel protocol even with low danger conditions.
Cross your fingers for a pulse of snow in the forecast Monday.
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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
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Stay tuned for the first Sunday forecast tomorrow!
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Tuesday, December 3rd – 6:15-8:00 PM @ Backcountry Bike & Ski
Join us for the first forecaster chat of the season aka the “State of the Snowpack” with HPAC forecasters to go over the new forecast platform, submitting observations, and a review of our season’s history.
Avalanche Discussion
Since 11/20 warm temperatures from this week's inversion have contributed to increased stability in the snowpack, yet snow coverage remains shallow in many locations. In general, a weak snowpack structure exists that consists of mostly facets and crusts. If you can find enough snow to ride, it will be enjoyable. Be mindful of early-season hazards such as rocks, bushes and firm ice at the bottom of the snowpack. The Independence Mine Snotel record for snow water equivalent and total snowfall are below average for this season (see graphs below in media). A couple avalanche problems we may encounter today are dry loose and persistent slab in isolated locations.
We always want to use good travel protocol, even with low danger. This means having good communication with our partners and using radios, only exposing one person at a time, having a planned safe zone, and spotting our partners.
DRY LOOSE
Warm temperatures over the past couple days have improved stability and triggering a large dry loose avalanche is unlikely. The biggest concern is triggering a small sluff in steep or extreme terrain 40 degrees and steeper that entrains the entire snowpack which consists of loose, weak facets sitting on a firm icy bed surface. A small sluff combined with exposed rocks is a bad combination.
PERSISTENT SLABS
This week we found persistent slabs in isolated locations 4 to 8 inches thick that are mostly unreactive. The most likely locations to find a persistent slab will be previously wind loaded slopes, southwest to north (clockwise) aspects, above 3500 ft on slopes 30 degrees and steeper in isolated and extreme terrain. Although we have gotten propagation in our pits this week, this has not translated to triggering any avalanches. The variability in the snowpack remain high, ranging from bottomless facets to old deteriorating wind slabs to shallow rocky slopes. This combination sounds horrendous but will also keep this avalanche problem dormant until we see another big storm or loading event.
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RECENT AVALANCHES
No slab avalanches have been observed or reported this week. A few small dry loose avalanches (sluffs) were observed Friday on the southeast and east face of Skyscraper (see photos) and several other locations.