Hatcher Pass

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

Low danger does not mean no danger. Consequential avalanches are possible in isolated and extreme terrain. 

High pressure and recrystallized snow will help us finish out the weekend with good conditions for skiing and riding. 

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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Join HPAC for the next State of the Snowpack at Blue & Gold in Wasilla on February 26th. 

It's been a great week of skiing and riding for those able to get out and enjoy Hatcher's settled snow and improved coverage. After the dust settled from January's Atmospheric River event, a drastic cold snap helped lock the new snow in place and then worked on loosening the firm, wind-packed surfaces. A weak inversion helped moderate these cold temps at altitude during the day and this last week we've enjoyed beautiful weather, stable conditions, and firm but smooth riding. Even though some surface faceting has been going on, there has been no sluffing or loose dry avalanches, and forecasters this week encountered no instabilities in the new snow.

Under all of the snow from January's AR our old snowpack is still lurking. This weak, faceted snow is now well over a meter deep in most locations and bridged by a thick, stiff slab of dense wind-packed snow. While it has become increasingly unlikely and difficult to trigger an avalanche on these layers, anywhere that slopes didn't avalanche during our extensive natural cycle, the structure remains, and as such, so does a degree of uncertainty that this problem exists. 

Deep Persistent Slabs: This is a challenging problem. At this point, with the lack of natural or human-triggered avalanches, and improved depth and structure of the snowpack, Persistent Slab avalanches have moved to be isolated in distribution and unreactive to trigger. However, in regards to the potential size, due to weak layers being buried 3-6' deep, if these unlikely avalanches do occur, they could be large or at the very least difficult to manage. So while we have shifted to an overall Low Hazard, we encourage approaching this problem with a Moderate Hazard mindset. 

• You will most likely encounter this problem on steep, mid and upper-elevation SW through NE (clockwise) facing slopes that did not previously slide, or on the remnant flanks or hangfire of large natural avalanches. While the depth of the weak layers will inherently create deep avalanches, the strength of the overlying slab is keeping the snow locked in place, and I'm less confident that slabs would be well connected. Think small but meaty. 
• Deep persistent slabs present a difficult problem and do not always give direct feedback. Human triggering can result from a skier or rider finding a thin spot in the slab, sometimes days or weeks after a storm and even after numerous other riders have crossed the slope. These avalanches can be remotely triggered in isolated locations from flat terrain and can propagate across different aspects or terrain features.

Continue to use good travel practices, even with low danger. When any uncertainty exists, practice conservative decision-making and focus on the basics of safe travel protocol: In avalanche terrain, only expose one person to steep slopes at a time, choose safe zones out of the reach of avalanches for grouping up, anticipate avalanches to break or run wider or further than you think, and make sure everyone in your group has a beacon, shovel, and probe, and are prepared and practiced for companion rescue.

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RECENT AVALANCHES:

No avalanches have been observed in the forecast area since 1/27.  For more info and pictures of a more recent avalanche on the Willow side of Hatcher near Bald Mtn Ridge click here.