Bollettino valanghe

Turnagain Pass and Girdwood

Chugach National Forest Avalanche Center
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Pericolo valanghe

Wed
Alta quota
3 · Marcato
Limite del bosco
2 · Moderato
Sotto il limite
2 · Moderato
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Non aggiornato — questo bollettino è scaduto last year. Stai vedendo condizioni passate, non il bollettino in corso.

In sintesi

Today we expect a break between storms. Avalanche danger will start out MODERATE and may rise to CONSIDERABLE if the sun heats the snowpack more than anticipated. After so much recent avalanche activity due to large storms, an assessment mindset is a good approach today. Lingering wind slabs up to 3' deep should be on the stubborn side, but could be triggered by a person especially in steep upper elevation terrain. If the sun comes out before new storm clouds move in, wet avalanches will be quick to fail in steep terrain. A fresh glide avalanche released on Tincan yesterday so continue to keep an eye out for glide cracks and avoid traveling in their path.  The Valentine's Day buried surface hoar is buried so deep it is becoming unlikely a person could trigger an avalanche on this layer.

WEDNESDAY'S AVALANCHE OUTLOOK:  HIGH AVALANCHE DANGER is on the way for Wednesday. Another warm storm is expected to pick up through the day and bring 1 to 4" of water (several feet of snow above rainline) to Turnagain Pass, Girdwood, Portage, Summit Lake, and Seward by the end of the day on Wednesday. Strong easterly ridgetop winds will accompany the precipitation making natural avalanches and human-triggered avalanches very likely. This will make avalanche conditions very dangerous, and travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended for Wednesday. 

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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Avalanche Closure Notification for Tuesday April 15, 2025, Portage Glacier Highway MP 3-4. There will be intermittent traffic delays Tuesday April 15, 2025, on the Portage Glacier Highway for Avalanche Hazard Reduction work. From mileposts 3 to milepost 4 on the Portage Glacier Highway, motorists should expect delays of up to 45 minutes between 08:00 AM and 10:00 AM. Updates will be posted on the 511 system. http://511.alaska.gov

End of Season Operations: We have transitioned to our late season schedule. We will issue avalanche forecasts on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday for the second half of April. We will issue our final forecast of the season on Sunday, April 27.

If you have been traveling in avalanche terrain for at least one season and want to help avalanche researchers develop new tools to assist individuals with managing risk in avalanche terrain, check out this 1-2 minute survey. Participants will be entered to win prizes from Jones Snowboards, BCA, and more!

Problemi valanghivi

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alta quota
    • Limite del bosco
    • Sotto il limite del bosco
    Probabilità
    Possible
    Dimensione
    1.5–3

    Recent avalanches: There was a report of a large whumpf at about 3,200' on Sunburst yesterday, which is an interesting and heads up red flag.Widespread storm slab avalanches were observed yesterday in Turnagain Pass that failed during the storm over the weekend. and a large cornice was triggered by a snowmachine on Seattle Ridge.A large slab avalanche released sometime early Saturday on the east face of Pyramid (pictured below). It is difficult to tell if it was a big storm slab, or if it broke in a buried weak layer, but we think it was a wet slab due to it's low location on the slope. Another recent avalanche was a large slab from Friday that released on the north side of CFR Ridge on Tincan.  

    With light wind since yesterday morning and cold temperatures overnight, avalanche conditions should be quiet this morning. This could change quickly if the sun comes out before the clouds move in today. Cornices are very large and primed to fall so give them space on the ridge and watch for them from below. Wind slabs and storm slabs should be getting stubborn for a person to trigger, but they could be very large after the strong easterly winds from this weekend's storm. Assess as you go today, jumping on test slopes and watching for red flags like a whumpf or shooting crack. These are clear signs to switch to "plan B" and ride lower angle slopes until the snowpack gets a little more time to adjust to the new load. Start out on smaller slopes and avoid any slope with a terrain trap at the bottom like a creek or gully. 

    Estimated storm totals from Saturday morning to 6am Tuesday morning.

    • Girdwood-   (1.5"SWE), 8-16"
    • Turnagain-  (2.4" SWE), 12-24"
    • Summit-  (0.3" SWE), 3" snow
    • Lost Lake-  (Grouse Creek not reporting, but the Exit Glacier station reported 0.9" water for the storm) 8-12" snow

     

    (4/14/2025)

    Natural avalanche activity that occurred during the storm over the weekend on the back side of Seattle Ridge.

    Photo submitted anonymously

  • Glide Cracks

    • Alta quota
    • Limite del bosco
    • Sotto il limite del bosco
    Probabilità
    Possible
    Dimensione
    2–3

    A fresh glide released on the south side of Tincan yesterday. Continue to avoid spending any time underneath glide cracks as they could release with or without the input of the warm sun and could run to the valley bottom. 

    Wet avalanches are less likely today as surfaces should be frozen and clouds are forecast to move in. If you find soft surfaces and the clouds move in slower than expected, watch for roller balls as the indicator that surface snow is heating up. With so much water in the snowpack, it won't take much for wet avalanches to start occurring if the atmosphere heats up more than expected today. Boot penetration is a great test for this problem. If your boot sinks up to your knee wet avalanches will be likely and it's time to find colder snow.

    (4/14/2025)

    Glide avalanche that occurred just before noon on Tincan Proper.

    Photo: Caleigh Warner

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alta quota
    • Limite del bosco
    • Sotto il limite del bosco
    Probabilità
    Possible
    Dimensione
    2–3

    We moved the deep persistent problem to the third on the list today. It is a good sign that the last few storms did not produce widespread avalanches on this layer that we know of (the one on Pyramid may have slid on this layer). We think the buried surface haor will be a problem when the snowpack really warms up again, which could be as soon as Wednesday, but with today's conditions, there are lower chances of a person being able to trigger an avalanche on this layer.

    (4/12/2025)

    Crown on Pyramid's east face. This slab is estimated to have released early Saturday April 12. 

    Photo: Andy Moderow

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