Avalanche forecast

Maritime

Valdez Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

The avalanche hazard is Moderate at low and middle elevations and Considerable at high elevations.  Shallow wet loose avalanches are possible at low and middle elevations while storm slab avalanches will be possible to trigger 1-2 feet in depth above 3000'.

Public avalanche forecasts are issued Wednesday-Sunday at 8 am. 

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Rain on snow at lower elevations will create potential for wet loose avalanches in steep terrain. The surface snow is already saturated, but with a spike in precipitation in the form of rain today at lower elevations, wet loose is very possible in steep terrain.

    Avoid travelling in steep, consequential terrain at low and middle elevations in the Maritime zone today.  Avoid terrain traps such as gullies and creek beds where even a small wet loose avalanche could pile up deeply.

    (3/1/2025)

    Example of wet loose activity

    Photo: Gareth Brown

  • Storm Slabs

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

    Expect new snow to accumulate above 3000' in the Maritime zone. Pay attention to how much new snow is building and how reactive it feels. Watch for signs of drifting (pillows, textured snow, cracking). Quick assessment tools like hand pits and small test slopes work well for determining how sensitive storm slabs are in the terrain you’re traveling through. The peak precipitation intensity is forecasted for the middle of the day today, so expect sensitivity to increase throughout the day.

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    2–3

    Weak snow near the ground exists at all elevations and is now deeply buried in most locations. In many areas, basal facets are bridged by stronger, stiffer layers in the middle of the snowpack. As this problem gets deeper it becomes harder to trigger and is unlikely to produce obvious red flags like cracking or collapsing. Expect a stubborn, unreactive deep slab in most places—this is a low-likelihood / high-consequence setup.

    The most likely trigger points are thin spots, especially steep, rocky terrain where the weak layers are closer to the surface. A rider may be able to stress the basal weak snow in these shallow areas, and a small trigger could step down or propagate into deeper, thicker parts of the snowpack, producing a large and destructive avalanche. The best way to manage this problem is to avoid steep, rocky features and other shallow-snow areas where the snowpack is thin and variable.

    In the Continental zone, the hazard will remain CONSIDERABLE where the snowpack is thinner, weaker, and more easily affected by human triggers. Human-triggered deep slab avalanches are possible in the Continental zone. They are unlikely in other zones, but if triggered could produce very large avalanches with a very low chance of survival.

    (1/23/2026)

    Large connected natural hard slab avalanche associated with our deep persistent weak layer. Mt Dimond north face

    Photo: Gareth Brown

Avalanche Discussion

Avalanche activity in the last 72 hours:  None

Forecast Discussion

The avalanche problems and hazard levels continue to be complicated and vary depending on the elevation and the zone in which you are traveling in today. 

The hazard might be the same for low and middle elevations for Maritime and Continental, but for different reasons. So don’t gloss over the details and make sure to check the forecast for the zone in which you plan to travel in. 

The main commonality between all zones is that weak snow exists at the bottom of the snowpack. When change is occurring in this weak snowpack (like rain or heavy snow) being conservative is advised as the weak snowpack might react differently than a usual Thompson Pass snowpack.

For more information regarding our snowpack, see our Season summary, Observations, and avalanche activity sections.   

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