Avalanche forecast

Douglas Island

Coastal Alaska Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
No rating
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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Douglas Island saw multiple storms this week creating numerous thin storm slabs intermixed with thin crusts in the upper portions of the snowpack.  Light rain moved up in elevation  Friday saturating the snow surface.  Recreationalists should keep an eye out for instabilities within those storm snow interfaces and remember that it is very much still early season/low tide conditions with marginal coverage.

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1–1.5

    Three main storm slabs exist sandwiched between rime crusts sitting on top of our very firm base of various melt forms.  There is a high amount of variability of depth of storm slabs and existence of rime crusts.  While the structure of the snowpack has the potential for slab avalanches,  unreactive stability tests, lack of a temperature gradient, and no recent signs of instability lead to slab avalanches being unlikely and relatively small in size.   

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1

    Yesterday with liquid precip and warmer temps wet loose activity was observed however with slightly cooling temps and precip turning off we expect a crust will have formed on the snow surface limiting wet loose activity.  However if temps trend to the warmer side today look for wet loose  activity to develop on steeper terrain at mid elevations.

Avalanche Discussion

We are pleased to bring you the first backcountry forecast for Douglas Island.  We wish we had more snow and better conditions to report, however we feel it is important to start getting this product out to the public.  The weather forecast for this coming week looks promising for a return to more seasonal temps and hopefully snow which will change the outlook on stability and snowpack.  Remember as we start to get into the mountains for the year,  practice safe travel protocols, practice with your beacon and partners, and please post your observations to the CAAC website. Also please make sure to follow Eaglecrests closures and uphill policies.

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