Hatcher Pass

The avalanche danger remains LOW and the snowpack is generally stable. 

Cold, clear and calm conditions have loosened our shallow snowpack over the last week. 

An active low is delivering the goods to coastal Alaska. Expect trace snowfall in Hatcher Pass today as the storm enters our area. 

By Monday, we should see incremental new snow over existing loose snow with light gusting moderate East/Southeast winds. Triggering a small sluff or soft slab in isolated, extreme terrain 35° and steeper may be possible at mid and upper elevations. 

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Happy New Year! That means it's time for "Pick-Click-Give." Click here to donate a portion to HPAC. 

Wednesday, January 8th – Join us for the "State of the Snowpack", Forecaster Chat 6-7:30PMBleeding Heart Brewery 

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If you missed yesterday's forecast with a review of the English word stale, we addressed the week-long cold, clear and calm conditions. The silver lining of this process has been loosening and faceting of snow surfaces. Those that have toured in Hatcher Pass have found improved skiing and riding conditions, albeit low tide with shallowly buried rocks, shrubs and intermittent crusts being the main hazards. It has been two weeks since our last observed human-triggered avalanche activity in the Pass. You (and us too) have made the most of what we have been working with. Expect a gradual change in the conditions from the last week as we receive some welcomed weather. Webster offers us a definition of CHANGE: 

noun 

1. The act or instance of making or becoming different. "The change from a nomadic to an agricultural society"
2. Coins as opposed to paper currency. "A handful of loose change"

Source: Webster's Dictionary 

While we may not see rapid change with this storm system (and for better or worse it is not going to be precipitating coins from the sky), we can generally expect a shift to warmer and overcast conditions by Sunday with wind and snow on Monday. We currently have an overall "rightside up" snowpack but prepare for change. It may be possible to find and trigger small soft slabs (new snow instabilities) and dry loose sluffs by Monday afternoon as snow totals incrementally stack up and interact with our existing snowpack. Look for signs of instability which include whumphing, collapsing and shooting cracks. Remember, it is always a good idea to monitor conditions along your route, utilize spotting and reduce exposure by having people ski or ride terrain one at a time. 

With a heavily faceted snowpack and some surface hoar that has lingered through last Friday's winds, expect to see an increasing likelihood of human-triggered avalanches by the end of the day Monday into Tuesday should Hatcher Pass experience higher levels of snowfall that puts our current structure to the test. 

RECENT AVALANCHES:

No recent avalanches have been reported or observed since 12/21. 

Recent observations HERE