Hatcher Pass

The strengthening sun effect, a stretch of above-freezing temperatures, and a warm spring storm have all transformed the landscape at Hatcher Pass.

Lower elevations are isothermic and melting fast, mid-elevations harbor punchy snow and thick, breakable crusts, and upper elevations are firm and crusty.  

Overall avalanche danger is LOW throughout the forecast area today.

Avalanches will be unlikely but conditions could be challenging nonetheless.

Spring is here and with it, a changing snowpack, read the full forecast to get the whole picture.

Unsettled weather and a cooling trend are working to mitigate the warming and wet avalanche problems we've been managing. Shortwaves from an associated Gulf Low will continue to push inland at times today bringing similar weather as yesterday, with periods of light showers, sun breaks, and moderate to strong southeast winds. Today we'll see temperatures at low and mid elevation back in the 30's to 40's before dropping overnight and into next week. A cooling trend will lower snow levels to around 1000' by this evening but before that showers will continue to fall as rain above 2000'. Low hazard does not mean no hazard, so here are the problems you might encounter today:

WET AVALANCHES: Below about 2,500', the snow is increasingly isothermic and melting fast. Travel conditions at these elevations will be challenging, with melting vegetation, open creeks, and thick slushy snow. Up to and above 3500', we've had 3 solid days of above-freezing temperatures. While that trend looks to end soon, the effect will carry over for a little while, with free water in the snowpack and a changed structure. Sun breaks and periods of light precipitation (clear) at lower elevations could increase the potential for wet activity at these elevations today. While the likelihood of wet loose instabilities is lower today, it does not mean it is impossible. With the recent period of above-freezing temperatures, even brief sun breaks or a strong pulse of rain could loosen the upper snowpack. You'll be most likely to encounter this problem in the mid to late afternoon in terrain 40 degrees and steeper on east, south, and west aspects. 

SLAB AVALANCHES: While they may be rounding, the snowpack still harbors facets, and as many before me have pointed out - you still can't trust wet facets. Persistent - During periods of daytime and solar warming, the upper snowpack can thicken into more of a cohesive slab and increase propagation potential on underlying weak layers. These could be triggered by natural wet loose avalanches or by skiers traveling through steep terrain. Wet - There will also be free water in the snowpack up to and around 3500'. This dynamic will affect the stability of buried weak layers and old firm bed surfaces negatively, and behave in a similar way to persistent slabs. Cooling temperatures and possible snowfall will work to diminish both of these problems, but the duration and extent of freezing temperatures will help determine if and when we might see them reactivate. 

CORNICES: It's spring and cornices are sagging. Give them a wide berth and some consideration of your position should they decide to head down the mountain. 

RECENT AVALANCHES: No new avalanches were observed yesterday. Recent natural activity has been noted along the south aspect of Skyscraper (above IM lot and up the Pass Road), up Archangel Creek on both east and west-facing aspects, and on east aspects in Gold Mint Valley. A party skiing Marmot in the mid-afternoon on Thursday 4/3 triggered some wet avalanches as they traveled through steep terrain.