Bulletin d’avalanche

Douglas Island

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Danger d’avalanche

Sun
Alpin
1 · Faible
Limite forestière
1 · Faible
Sous la limite
1 · Faible
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Périmé — ce bulletin a expiré 4 months ago. Vous consultez des conditions passées, pas le bulletin en cours.

Points saillants

Above freezing temperatures and rain to ridgetops will make wet loose and cornice related avalanches possible today. While overall avalanche hazard remains low, human triggered wet loose avalanches, and potentially large natural cornice related avalanches, will be possible in middle and upper elevation terrain especially during and soon after periods of heavier rain. Avoid terrain traps that will allow wet loose activity to entrain snow, and limit time spent under corniced features. This will be the last CAAC forecast for the season and while we will still be posting periodic observations, we would like to take an opportunity to thank all of our sponsors and our great community for their support and observations.

Problèmes avalancheux

  • Cornices

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Possible
    Taille
    1–2

    Cornices are unpredictable and can fail without warning. Cornice failures can put a significant load on the slopes below them which can often trigger large avalanches.  When traveling on ridgelines, cornices often fail much further back from their edges than expected. Cornices should be given a wide berth when traveling on corniced ridges and time spent under cornices should be minimized. This month there have been many observed cornice failiures triggering  larger avlanches. 

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Likely
    Taille
    1–2

    Wet loose avalanches often start small but can grow large as they entrain snow. Wet loose avalanches are especially hazardous in steep exposed terrain and above terrain traps such as cliffs and gulleys. Signs of wet loose activity include wet saturated surface snow that feels unconsolidated, pinwheels and rollerballs on slopes, and snow shedding off rocks and trees due to warming. 

  • Wet Slabs

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Possible
    Taille
    1–2

    Wet slab avalanches occur when water penetrates the snowpack and causes a failure at a buried weak layer or interface. Solar radiation, which produces meltwater that percolates through the snowpack, can trigger wet slab avalanches, along with rain on snow events. Wet slabs are generally more destructive and more difficult to manage than wet loose avalanches; they can break widely and without clear warning signs.

Avalanche Discussion

This is our last forecast of the 2025/2026 season!

The spring thaw continues to dominate Douglas Island. The Powder Patch station at Eaglecrest has recorded above-freezing temperatures since April 26. According to snow pits dug this week in two different locations, the snowpack appears to be fully saturated and in isothermal conditions. Our primary concern remains wet loose avalanches, along with the potential for a cornice fall to trigger a deeper, larger avalanche. In pits on both Northerly and Southerly aspects, we observed old melt-freeze crusts with density and grain-size changes around 100 cm below the surface. This is potentially the bed surface where we have seen larger avalanches release this month.

Cornice failures have continued to be observed around Douglas Island. Even when they are not stepping down into larger avalanches, they can still produce significant amounts of wet debris. Give cornices a wide berth and stay aware of overhead hazards. As we continue to see rain on snow combined with warming temperatures, the potential for large wet slab avalanches still exists.

Please continue posting your observations to Coastal Alaska Avalanche Center, even if it is simply reporting good conditions. All information is helpful, especially as we transition out of regular forecasts.

Régions couvertes