Turnagain Pass and Girdwood

Problèmes avalancheux

• 

  Wind Slabs

  N

  NE

  E

  SE

  S

  SW

  W

  NW

  • Alpin
  • Limite forestière
  • Sous la limite forestière

  Probabilité

  Likely

  Taille

  1–2

  Recent Avalanches: Fresh glide avalanches were reported Tuesday on the south side of Cornbiscuit and yesterday on Seattle Ridge. It has been 2 weeks since there was a widespread avalanche cycle where the Thanksgiving day storm triggered some large avalanches on a layer of buried surface hoar. 

  Strong northwest winds will create a fresh batch of wind slabs 1 to 2’ deep making it easy for a person to trigger an avalanche on wind loaded slopes. These winds are supposed to ramp up in the early afternoon but may arrive sooner. Look for blowing snow as a clear sign that slopes are rapidly forming wind slabs. These typically form below ridgelines, convex rollovers and in gullies. If you start to travel on a wind slab the snow may feel stiff and sound hollow. Cracks may shoot out under you as well. These are clear signs to turn around and look for softer snow on wind sheltered slopes. 

  There is also the scary chance that a wind slab avalanche may trigger a deeper layer of weak snow creating a larger and more dangerous avalanche. More about that in problem 2. 

• 

  Persistent Slabs

  N

  NE

  E

  SE

  S

  SW

  W

  NW

  • Alpin
  • Limite forestière
  • Sous la limite forestière

  Probabilité

  Possible

  Taille

  2–3

  We are still wary of several layers of weak snow buried 1 to 3’ deep. These layers seem to be gaining strength but are more concerning above 2,500’. That being said, yesterday the forecast team on Sunburst got unstable results in their snow tests on a weak layer about 1.5’ deep. These layers usually take a while to go away so it should be something we think about if we travel in avalanche terrain. 

  Consider reducing your exposure to this problem by avoiding runs with terrain traps such as gullies, spacing out, and using safe zones. Watching one person on a slope at a time on the way down from a safe spot is a good idea to reduce the risk of getting caught in an avalanche.

  

• 

  Glide Cracks

  N

  NE

  E

  SE

  S

  SW

  W

  NW

  • Alpin
  • Limite forestière
  • Sous la limite forestière

  Probabilité

  Possible

  Taille

  2–3

  Fresh looking glide avalanches were reported on Seattle Ridge yesterday which is telling us that glide avalanches are still something to watch out for. These start as large brown cracks in the snow and can release at any moment. We have seen cracks on slopes for weeks or cracks open and release on the same day. The safest option is to space out on valley bottoms and minimize time spent underneath these looming glide cracks.