Hatcher Pass

The avalanche danger is LOW on all aspects and at all elevations. 

Hatcher Pass has seen heavy backcountry use this week, with little untouched terrain left to ride.

Triggering a sizable avalanche will be very unlikely today. 

With daytime warming and/or greenhousing, the snow on south aspects may become wet, unsupportable, and unstable. Move off of these slopes to shadier and cooler aspects.

_________________________________

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS: Today is the annual "Hatcher Pass Boulder Dash" at Smasher's Pass, so expect heavy use at the Goldmint Lot, a busy day and limited to no parking. 

It's been a mild and gorgeous week at the Pass, with no significant weather or precipitation since 3/18 and heavy backcountry use. Lots of people have been out skiing, riding, and snowmachining without incident.  We scoured the landscape while riding snowmachines Friday looking for new avalanches throughout the forecast area and on the Willow side, with only a few wet loose observed that likely occurred earlier in the week.  Wet avalanches have been the only observed avalanche problem this week.  Mostly small and a few large natural wet loose avalanches have been observed on southeast through southwest aspects, mostly above 2500' in terrain 40deg and steeper. The last reported persistent slab avalanche occurred near the Pinnacle in the Far Side. Without any additional weather in the forecast, significant temperatures increases, or strong wind, we can expect normal caution throughout the weekend. Triggering a slab avalanche remains unlikely, but not impossible. 

WET AVALANCHES:  Wet avalanches may be possible with warming on southerly aspects as temperatures rise this afternoon, potentially into the 40s F below 2500'.  A solid freeze overnight at all elevations and a slightly cooler start to the day will keep snow surfaces firm longer into the day.  However, today's intense March sunshine combined with a lack of wind today will have the potential to soften snow surfaces, especially steep southeast through southwest slopes with a high angle of incidence to the sun.  If the snow becomes unsupportable and unstable, seek low angle terrain.  Expect small wet loose avalanches to be possible to trigger in terrain 40 deg and steeper on southerly aspects at all elevations.  Rollerballs and pinwheels are obvious precursors to wet loose avalanches.  

RECENT AVALANCHES: 

No recent slab avalanches have been reported this week.  

View all recent observations here.