Bulletin d’avalanche

Summit Lake

Chugach National Forest Avalanche Center
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Danger d’avalanche

Wed
Alpin
2 · Modéré
Limite forestière
2 · Modéré
Sous la limite
1 · Faible
Périmé — ce bulletin a expiré 8 months ago. Vous consultez des conditions passées, pas le bulletin en cours.

Points saillants

Despite a lack of new snow in the last 9 days, a person could trigger an avalanche up to 3' deep above 2,500'. This is more likely to occur in places that were recently wind loaded by northerly outflow winds. Glide avalanches continue to release daily. Giving each other space when traveling below glide cracks avoids the entire group getting caught if one releases.

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Problèmes avalancheux

  • Glide Cracks

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Possible
    Taille
    2–3

    Glide avalanche behavior this year (releasing without a visible crack) tells us it would be good to keep our heads up and make a plan to travel underneath them when we can see them. Getting caught in one of these is probably more unlikely than getting caught in a persistent slab avalanche, but the consequences could be worse because of how large the avalanche would be.

    (12/14/2025)

    Manitoba showing wind texture and glide activity. 

    Photo: Daniel Krueger

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Possible
    Taille
    2–3

    Recent Avalanches: Three remotely triggered avalanches occurred in the upper Seattle Creek area of Seattle Creek on Saturday. This occurred in Turnagain Pass, but the same conditions exist in Summit Lake with a wind slab over a weak layer. The last known human-triggered avalanches in Summit Lake were over 2 weeks ago on Tenderfoot. Glide avalanches continue to release daily throughout our forecast zones.

    There are a few different weak layers that could get us into trouble today. The first and most likely, is a layer of facets that was buried by recent north winds. Normally, wind slabs become unreactive after 24 hours or so, but the ones that are out there could be reactive longer than expected because of the weak layer of facets that is beneath the wind slab. These can be found just below ridgelines, on cross-loaded slopes and on steep rollovers. Using a pole or probe to feel for firm snow over soft snow is a way to find a wind slab. Wind slabs should be on the smaller side up to 1.5' deep, but could take us for a ride or trigger a larger avalanche.

    There are also 3 layers of buried surface hoar that have been gaining strength through this long period of cold and clear weather. We know these layers have tricky behavior, so we know we could still find a trigger spot despite a lack of avalanches and unstable test results. Choosing slopes without rocks, trees, or gullies below reduces the chance of a bad outcome if we get caught off guard.

    (12/14/2025)

    Snowpack with poor structure (slab over weak layer) at 2,500' on Raven's Ridge in Summit Lake

    Photo: Daniel Krueger

Régions couvertes