Hatcher Pass

Hatcher Pass received about 5 inches of new snow in the last week. 

While conditions are improving, coverage is still sparse, and travel over snow is challenging on many aspects. 

The avalanche danger is LOW throughout the forecast area.

Isolated instabilities exist on upper elevation slopes where dense wind slabs lie on old weak layers of snow.

Friday looks to be the best chance for decent weather, with strong winds and bitter cold temps moving in this weekend. 

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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Thanks for bearing with us during this lean start to the season. While the snowpack remains thin, we're excited to begin regular forecasting. 

HPAC could not exist without the support of our community. Thank you! Consider a donation this holiday season.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Wednesday December 10th 6-8pm @ Backcountry Bike and Ski - Join us for our first State of the Snowpack chat.  Meet the forecasters, learn about the new Avy App, and chat about conditions, submitting observations, and what the crystal ball holds for the season ahead.

Saturday December 13th 12-3pm @ Hatcher Pass - HPAC and partners will be hosting a FREE rescue day at the Fishhook Lot from 12-3pm. All skill levels and styles of recreating are welcome. We will have snowmachine-specific rescue tips with AMDS and Saferiders, as well as novice, intermediate and advanced rescue clinics with Anchorage Nordic Ski Patrol, Skeetawk Pro Patrol, Alaska Mountain Rescue Group and HPAC forecasters. 

Winter has been slow to arrive, but conditions are steadily improving at Hatcher Pass. Remnants of an atmospheric river and spillover from a couple of lows circling in the Gulf have graced the pass with a few meager scraps. While still very thin, the snowpack continues to grow. In the last week, about 5'' of snow at .6'' SWE has accumulated at the Independence Mine Snotel. Winds and temperatures have been mild during this time, meaning the snow has a moment to settle and sinter, but the thin cover and previously cold temps mean faceting is widespread, and the snowpack provides little protection from rocks and grass below.

Three main factors have shaped the snowpack up to this point, and they are no stranger to the Talkeetnas:

• Lack of Snow - According to local experts, this could be the 3rd worst start to the season at Hatcher Pass in about 60 years. In a place known for thin snowpacks, that's saying something. The silver lining is that even those seasons might have turned out decently, so there's still plenty of hope, but for now, things remain thin and rocky.
• Cold Temperatures - Much of November was cold, with only 6 days registering a high above freezing at the IM Snotel. These conditions worked to facet any existing snow, basically turning it into loose, airy sugar.
• Wind - Since snow began falling in September, periods of strong winds out of the south and east have worked to redistribute snow onto leeward aspects. What this means is that the best coverage is found on upper elevation west through north-facing slopes, where snow has been blown into gullies and concavities. 

The big picture of what this means is that thin, low-density snow cover with exposed rocks exists on most aspects through all elevations, with the most snow being found on upper elevation west through north-facing slopes. In locations where you find a more substantial snowpack, you're also likely to find instabilities related to these factors. Winds have created stiff slabs and lenses of snow that sit on old preserved facets, creating isolated instabilities and the chance of triggering a small avalanche. 

Forecasters have continued to observe isolated cracking and collapsing, as well as propagating results in snowpack tests. This all indicates that triggering a small avalanche is still possible, and in the paradigm of low snow and rocky terrain, it could mean a traumatic ride. Use caution when approaching loaded or smooth slopes, look for strong over weak snow, and consider the consequences of a slide in this thin snowpack. 

Conditions look to change this weekend with gap winds and bitterly cold temperatures arriving Saturday. Keep an eye on the forecast as strong winds could increase the hazard throughout the weekend.

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RECENT AVALANCHES:

On Sunday, forecasters observed some old natural activity on the back side of Skyscraper Ridge. Within the forecast area, no human-triggered avalanches have been observed in almost a month. See all recent observations here.