Avalanche forecast

Hatcher Pass

Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Tue
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired 6 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

The avalanche danger is MODERATE above 2,500' for STORM SLAB avalanches. Above 3,500', the avalanche danger is MODERATE  for STORM SLAB and PERSISTENT SLAB avalanches. The danger is LOW elsewhere. 

Be wary of stepping into steep terrain today, where you find more than just a few inches of new snow. You could trigger loose snow avalanches or sluffs that could knock you off your feet and carry you downhill—these may break wider than you expect. 

You could still trigger a larger slide on slopes with a shallow snowpack, where buried weak layers near the ground are closer to the surface and easier for a skier or rider to trigger. 

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Thank you to the Super Saturated Sugar Strings and all those who joined us over the weekend the HPAC Cabin Fever Reliever! See you at BLEEDING HEART BREWERY on Wednesday February 11 for the State of the Snowpack. 

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

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

    A modest 2" of snow and .3" of Snow Water Equivalent fell overnight. With more snow potentially on the way today, coupled with warming temperatures, it will be possible to see new snow problems in the upper snowpack. While we are still on the lower end of the threshold for storm slab avalanches, it may be possible to find instabilities in isolated terrain features today such as steep gullies and couloirs. Even if you do not encounter new soft slabs, you could find a shallow sluff that could knock you off your feet and send you somewhere you do not want to go. 

    Expect new snow instabilities in steep terrain above 35 degrees if snowfall continues today into tomorrow. 

    Use traveling tests and assess small slopes for cohesive new snow. Pole tests and hand pits are effective tools for this problem. 

    A modest addition to yesterday's snow could be on the menu today as this current pattern moves through our region, bringing 2-3" of snow, enough to get us above .5" of SWE. Be on the look out tomorrow for new snow avalanches. 

    Photo: Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    It's been over a week since a party on Microdot remote triggered a large persistent slab avalanche (observation here). During that time, mild temperatures have promoted settlement, but faceting has continued throughout our thin snowpack. It remains possible to trigger a consequential avalanche 1-3' deep on weak snow near the ground.

    You are most likely to encounter this problem in upper-elevation terrain where our season's snowpack is resting on weak, sugary snow near the ground. Your chances of finding and triggering a persistent slab avalanche up to 3' deep will be highest near 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)

    The looker's rights, skier's left flank & crown looks more fresh, 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 later today or tomorrow. 

    Photo: Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center

Avalanche Discussion

We have finally broken our two-week drought cycle, but barely. The most recent storm brought 2" of snow at .3" of Snow Water Equivalent, with the potential for a modest bonus inch or two today as it moves through our area. Enjoy the light refresh of snow today, but be wary of stepping onto steep slopes with more than a few inches of new snow. If you find more than just a couple of inches of new snow, here are a few things to consider:

  • It has been 10 days since the last recorded snowfall, and new snow is falling onto a weak, faceted snow surface. In very steep terrain, dry loose avalanches or sluffs could knock you off your feet and carry you where you don’t want to go—especially in places where wind has drifted snow or stiffened and consolidated the new snow. These slides could break wider than you expect.
  • Skiers near Friendship Pass found unstable test results failing below a thin crust that formed in late January. Following the snowfall at the end of January, we saw avalanche activity involving this crust. Despite almost two weeks of mild temperatures, we can’t rule out the possibility of triggering a slide on this crust; however, without more snowfall, it’s less likely that this crust will become active.
  • Slopes with a shallow snowpack remain the primary concern, where buried weak layers near the ground are closer to the surface and easier for a skier or rider to trigger. Be wary of stepping onto steep slopes with a shallow snowpack and exposed rocks.

It is great to see snowfall return to Hatcher Pass, and this light refresh should improve skiing and snowmachining conditions. However, a generally shallow snowpack with multiple buried weak layers and weak snow at the surface has us talking intentionally about entering steep terrain at upper elevations where you find more than just a couple of inches of new snow. Hedge your bets by calming the powder fever, taking time to assess a slope for new snow problems, and considering the consequences of triggering a larger, more destructive slide failing deeper in the snowpack.

The danger rating for tomorrow depends on how much snow we get from the next pulse of precipitation on Tuesday. Right now, it looks to favor Eastern Prince William Sound, and there remains some uncertainty if a Southwesterly flow will contribute to Hatcher Pass receiving more snow. Even a modest dump on top of Sunday/Monday's could be enough to up the hazard by overloading our weak snowpack. 

RECENT AVALANCHES: 

It has been more than 10 days since a party remotely triggered a large persistent slab avalanche on Microdot after several people had skied the slope. Read the forecaster observation for Microdot here. There have been no reported or observed avalanches in the last week. See all recent observations here.

Regions covered