Avalanche forecast

Hatcher Pass

Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Above 2500', the avalanche danger will rise to MODERATE  for WIND SLAB avalanches. Elsewhere, the hazard is low. As snow begins to stack up today, your odds of triggering a slide will increase. You could trigger small sluffs in very steep terrain, or thicker slides where the wind has built fresh, sensitive drifts. 

While less likely, shallow, rocky slopes remain a concern, where a skier or rider could trigger thicker, wider slides that fail near the ground. 

Assess for new snow instabilities as you travel, especially where winds have built fresh drifts. Avoid steep, committing slopes, convexities, and use safe travel protocols. 

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Our last and final State of the Snowpack of the season will be Wednesday, March 11th at Palmer Brewing Co, 6pm. Hope to see you there! 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    If elevated winds continue through this storm, you could find pockets of instability, most likely near convex rolls or to the sides of steep gullies. These drifts will likely be thin, and slides will be small, but they will be plenty big enough to knock you off your feet or off your machine and carry you downhill. As snowfall continues, expect to encounter this problem in more places. 

    Expect the likelihood of wind slabs to increase as wind speeds build and snow totals grow later today.

    While unlikely today, it may be possible to trigger a deeper wind slab in isolated, steep, wind-loaded terrain at upper elevations where new snow slabs sit over weak layers in the snowpack. 

    Whumphing, collapsing, or shooting cracks are indicators that you have found unstable snow. Hand shears and pole probing are good tests as you travel to assess for this problem. 

    It may be possible to trigger a deeper wind slab in wind-loaded terrain where new snow slabs sit over weak layers in the snowpack, especially at upper elevations. 

    3/05/2026 Pinnacle N 4,800' 

    An old wind slab fails on a test cut over some old, weak snow but did not propagate cross-slope. 

    Photo: Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center

Avalanche Discussion

Hatcher Pass is finally headed out of an extended drought. In the last two weeks, we have only seen 5" of snow at .5" of water. A few significant wind events since our last major snowfall in February have transformed the landscape, leaving behind lots of firm, punchy snow surfaces. 

The start of March has seen some silver lining--a period of calm, cold, and settled weather has allowed for these firm surfaces to loosen slowly. Folks certainly took advantage, and the Pass shows it with numerous tracks across all the terrain has to offer, from low-hanging fruit to far afield couloirs. This incremental step out confirmed a prolonged period of low avalanche hazard, and it has been several weeks since we have seen any notable avalanche activity. 

Keep in mind that new snow is falling on a variety of surfaces and layers in the snowpack: 

  • Firm, old wind slabs with weak, sugary snow below (near surface facets) or loose, weak snow on sheltered slopes
  • Midpack crusts/wind slab and facet interfaces
  • Loose, large, and unconsolidated snow (depth hoar and basal facets) near the ground

While we may only wind up with .5-1" of SWE and 6-8" of snow out of this storm in the next 48 hours, wind could tip the scale towards more considerable avalanche hazard in specific terrain for Saturday. Regardless of Saturday's hazard rating, this new pattern will offer a shift in surface conditions and ski quality. 

DRY LOOSE & ADDITIONAL HAZARDS

It would not be impossible to trigger a small dry loose sluff on protected, wind-sheltered northerly terrain today, where loose, faceted snow has remained. Additionally, keep in mind that the snowpack in Hatcher Pass remains relatively shallow with rocks and other hazards such as open holes, mining cables, and exposed willows and bushes. 

RECENT AVALANCHES:

Outside of some small, isolated pockets and test slopes, we have had no reports or observations of human-triggered avalanches in several weeks. We have not observed a persistent slab avalanche failing on weak snow near the ground since 1/31. See all recent observations here. During the tail end of our high-pressure block, small point releases were observed on southerly aspects. 

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