Wind Slabs
- Alta quota
- Limite del bosco
- Sotto il limite del bosco
- Probabilità
- Likely
- Dimensione
- 1–2.5
Our main concern in the Seward zone is the same type of avalanches we saw in Turnagain Pass yesterday - wind slabs that have formed over the past two days that are around 1 to 2 feet deep. Seward has experienced the strongest winds during this outflow event, which makes avalanches more likely and potentially much bigger. As the winds start to calm down the likelihood of natural activity is decreasing, but there is still a good chance a person will be able to trigger an avalanche today.
You can manage this problem by avoiding wind-loaded terrain and looking for stable snow and better surface conditions in terrain that has been sheltered from recent winds. Be wary of any slopes with stiff or punchy snow on the surface, especially if you notice any shooting cracks or collapsing. The most likely places to run into trouble will be in steep upper-elevation terrain just below ridgelines, convex rolls, or in loaded gullies. As the quiet weather makes it easier to pursue bigger objectives, keep in mind even a small avalanche can have severe consequences in steep terrain.
Cornices: Last weekend's storm was followed by northwesterly winds over the week, building large cornices on many aspects. These often catch people by surprise, breaking back much further from the edge than we'd expect. Keep that in mind if you are traveling along ridgelines, and be sure to limit spending time under them since they can release naturally.
(1/30/2025)
Wind damage near Lost Lake. Those loaded gullies are one kind of terrain feature where you might be able to trigger an avalanche today.
Photo: Daniel Krueger