Avalanche forecast

Hatcher Pass

Issued Jan 12, 2025valid to Jan 13, 2025Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center

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Avalanche danger

Mon

Alpine

3 · Considerable

Treeline

3 · Considerable

Below

1 · Low

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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

The avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE for WIND SLABS above 2500 ft.

The avalanche danger is MODERATE for PERSISTENT SLAB above 2500 ft.

A strong storm is bringing Hatcher Pass extreme winds, accumulating snow, and rising avalanche danger today through the weekend.

Be especially cautious today when approaching previously or actively loading slopes.

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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Areas throughout the state have received multiple feet of snow and many regions have considerable or high danger. Many areas do not have public avalanche forecasts. Check out avalanche.org to find your local avalanche center. Be sure to assess the snowpack before entering avalanche terrain.

Avalanche problems

Wind Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Likely
Size
1–2
Winds picked up again yesterday evening and are absolutely nuking this morning. As of 5am Hatcher Pass has experienced 10 hours of strong to extreme winds with gusts topping out at 78 mph on Hatch this morning. Expect winds to remain elevated through the morning before diminishing this evening and shifting to the southwest. These winds will be adding a fresh layer of new wind slabs on top of several others from yesterday and earlier this week. Today, expect new wind slabs 4-8'' thick likely to human trigger on west through north facing slopes above 2500 ft generally 35° and steeper.

After a few days of strong winds, there is less snow available for transport, but the extreme nature of these winds as well as increasing chances for snow today means this problem will only get worse before it gets better. With winds this strong, expect to encounter cross-loading on more windward aspects as well.

This evening winds will shift to the south / southwest and chances for precipitation will increase. This will contribute to loading on generally more northerly aspects and depending on accumulations might hopefully contribute to a more widespread storm slab problem tomorrow.

Today, watch for stiff or hard drifts and use caution when approaching smooth rounded features. Wind drifts may sound hollow or crack out from your ski tip as you travel across them. Shooting cracks are signs of instability and indicators of this avalanche problem.
Wind slab triggered by skiers earlier this week.
Persistent Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Possible
Size
1–2
Recent winds continue to overload our weak snowpack. Peristent Slab avalanches 1 to 3 feet deep will be possible to human trigger on southwest to northeast aspects above 2500' on slopes 30 degrees and steeper. Forecasters in the field have observed several wind slab avalanches stepping down into faceted layers near the ground over the last several days. Propagation continues to be present in snowpit tests and the overall structure of the snowpack is generally suspect.

Recent avalanches and collapsing are red flags and an indication of this problem. It can be difficult in low visibility, but if you're seeing grass or what looks like scoured summer surface on a leeward slope, that could be the site of a previous avalanche, indicating instability on similar aspects.

As new snow begins to accumulate later this evening this problem might become more widespread. With strong winds and accumulating snow, now is a time to step back and give the snowpack some time to adjust to it's new weight.
Skier triggered Peristent Slab on NE facing Government bowl from 1/8.