Hatcher Pass
Avalanche danger
Highlights
Conditions are generally stable, and the danger is LOW.
In very steep terrain, you could trigger small sluffs that could knock you off your feet and carry you downhill.
Expect your odds of triggering a slide to increase this week with blustery winds forming fresh sensitive drifts. You are most likely to find trouble at middle and upper elevation terrain, near ridgelines, on convex rolls, and along the sides of steep gullies.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Please take a few moments to fill out our State of the Snowpack survey from the '25/'26 season here.
PFD season is here! Supporting HPAC with Pick Click Give is easy.
Avalanche Discussion
Conditions are generally stable, and triggering a large avalanche is unlikely. You could still trigger small sluffs in very steep terrain; these won't be large, but they could knock you off your feet and carry you downhill. You can easily manage these by skiing or riding slopes one at a time, and you can decrease the consequences of a small slide by choosing slopes free of cliffs, depressions, or exposed rocks. Winds will increase tonight, expect to find freshly formed sensitive slabs of wind-drifted snow mostly at middle and upper elevations. Wind slabs are most likely to form near convex rolls, cupped terrain features (often called catcher's mitts), and along the sides of steep gullies. With ample snow available for transport, expect your odds of triggering a side to increase as winds begin to blow snow around. The upper snowpack is a mess of crusts and faceted snow; it's not out of the realm of possibilities that a slide can break wider than you expect. If you get out at the start of the work week, approach steep terrain with some hesitation and the thought that you could trigger a wind slab avalanche.
Check out the mid-Feb to mid-March recap presentation.
RECENT AVALANCHES:
This past week, HPAC staff and the public observed several natural sluffs that likely formed during the short-duration 3/7 snowfall. Last weekend, an Alaska Avalanche School motorized course triggered and reported a small D1 wind slab avalanche in Upper Willow at 3,800' on a SE aspect. Several other snowmachining parties were able to kick off small, shallow wind slab avalanches on 3/10 (see photo) near Grizzly Pass. Ski tourers on the Bomber observed some isolated sluffs and a shallow wind slab. See all recent observations here.