Eklutna canyon

We set out for Pichler’s with our main concern being wind loaded slopes on the approach to the Eklutna glacier, and our plan was to ski conservatively once on the glacier. Our party triggered a number of whumpfs and shooting cracks en route to the toe of the Eklutna Glacier. Surface conditions were a mix of soft powder and wind board and wind slab. We mitigated terrain by spreading out on any loaded side hills on the standard approach to the glacier toe. Once in the gorge, an open section of creek pushed us on to some small but loaded slopes on the moraine. As we progressed upwards, our party remote triggered a D1 hard slab avalanche before turning around. Note that it may be less straight forward getting on and off the glacier this year due to the section of open water in the creek gorge.

Quick report