Hatcher Pass

The avalanche danger is LOW at all elevations.

Triggering a large avalanche is unlikely. You may still be able to find a small and shallow pocket of instability at upper elevations, where lingering drifts of snow remains. Long days and strong spring sun may produce small wet loose avalanches on very steep slopes basking in direct all-day sun. Avoid lingering under these slopes late in the day. 

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:

We hope you come out for the annual Hatcher Pass Boulder Dash, hosted by HP Snow Riders Club this weekend, March 28-29. Parking will be limited, so please plan ahead. Find more information here. 

This is the last weekend before the filing deadline for Pick Click Give. Please consider adding HPAC to yours! 

You may find pockets of instability at upper elevations where last week's strong winds built thin drifts of snow. These slides will be small in size, but if you're getting into very steep terrain, they could knock you off your feet or machine and carry you downhill. While unlikely, it's not out of the realm of possibilities that a slide could break wider than you expect, where this fresh batch of stubborn wind slabs rests above weak snow below. This setup isn't everywhere, but likely exists only in the areas you find thick, greater than about 1', wind slabs. 

We have so far staved off spring warming with a period of colder temperatures and consistent winds this last week. Expect this to change into the weekend as temperatures rise and winds diminish. Here are some additional considerations:

• WET LOOSE: As we approach the end of March, it is time to start thinking about springtime avalanche problems. As winds ease and the strong spring sun warms slopes, you may find a wetted snow surface on steep slopes facing the sun. Watch for a wet snow surface deeper than just a few inches—if you are sinking into wet snow above your ankles, it is time to seek cooler slopes. This problem is most likely going to exist in "solar ovens", where exposed rocks and cliffs amplify the warming of the spring sun. 
• PERSISTENT SLABS: We are tracking several interfaces in the snowpack: small, weak, sugary grains between stiff, firm slabs in the upper snowpack, and the continued large, loose structure near the ground. We have not seen any activity on these layers since 1/31. However, it would not be outside the realm of possibility for a recently formed wind slab to "step down" to a weaker layer in the snowpack in the right spot. We will continue to monitor our poor-to-fair structure as Spring develops, as these dormant layers could come into play with a fresh load, rapid warming, or extended periods above freezing. 

Finally, we are still experiencing a low-snow year. Be on the lookout for shallowly buried hazards like rocks, shrubs, or mining debris. 

RECENT AVALANCHES: 

Forecasters observed many small (D1-D2) natural and human-triggered wind slabs following the 3/21-3/22 wind event. Many of these were in upper elevations on leeward (westerly) aspects at or near ridgelines, or midslope on convex rollovers. The largest and deepest wind slab was a D1.5 observed on a W aspect at ~4,000'  on the Willow side of Hatch Peak. There have been no new reported avalanches since 3/23.