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-- ARCHIVED ADVISORY --
Friday, November 14th 2008Updated: Nov 14th 9:33 am
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| Danger Level | | Travel Advice | | Likelihood of Avalanches | | Avalanche Size and Distribution | ![]()
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| Good morning backcountry travelers, this is Carl Skustad with the Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center at 930am on Friday November 14, 2008 with a general backcountry avalanche advisory for the Turnagain Arm area.
All areas of the Chugach National Forest are still closed to snowmachining. Try and refrain yourself and your friends from poaching shallow snowfields. It reflects badly on our riding community! Currently we have 20 inches in T-Pass and we need at least 30.
Not a big change from Matt's advisory earlier in the week, but wanted to bring you up to speed. We continue to see an elevated avalanche hazard in the Turnagain Arm Area. One of the avalanche center observers reported large natural avalanche activity mid week in Turnagain Pass above treeline elevation (Thanks Ray). His group also reported a large human-triggered avalanche on the North ridge of Tincan that left avalanche debris all the way down through the trees. This human-triggered avalanche appeared to have been triggered remotely by two skiers. It started at about 2700 feet and ran down to about 1500 feet in elevation. There were no burials or injuries reported. I witnessed a large natural triggered avalanche run all the way to the Turnagain Arm yesterday. The powder cloud came half way across the arm. Super cool. It's starting to snow again currently with 3 inches forecasted.
Bottom line = we have a very significant weak layer of snow under our current snowpack. This cold faceted snow from October is going to take a long time to stabilize. Human triggered avalanches will be probable and naturally triggered avalanches will be possible this weekend. Please be careful out there. Remember that all this new snow is sitting on a weak layer of facets and buried surface hoar. It would be wise to keep your slope angles below 30 degrees for a while and stay away from avalanche run out zones.
WEATHER-
WESTERN PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND-
INCLUDING...WHITTIER...SEWARD...GIRDWOOD...MOOSE PASS
500 AM AKST FRI NOV 14 2008
.TODAY...SNOW SHOWERS. SNOW ACCUMULATION UP TO 3 INCHES. HIGHS
IN THE MID 20S TO UPPER 30S...WARMEST ALONG THE SOUND. LIGHT WINDS
EXCEPT NORTH TO WEST WIND INCREASING TO 10 TO 20 MPH NEAR SEWARD
AND WHITTIER LATE THIS AFTERNOON.
.TONIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SNOW IN THE EVENING.
LOWS IN THE TEENS TO 20S. NORTH TO WEST WIND 10 TO 20 MPH EXCEPT
20 TO 30 MPH NEAR WHITTIER.
.SATURDAY...MOSTLY SUNNY. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS IN THE
AFTERNOON. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 20S TO LOWER 30S. VARIABLE WIND TO
10 MPH. NEAR WHITTIER...WEST WIND 20 MPH IN THE MORNING BECOMING
LIGHT.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...SNOW SHOWERS LIKELY. LOWS IN THE 20S. LIGHT
WINDS BECOMING EAST 10 TO 15 MPH AFTER MIDNIGHT.
.SUNDAY...SNOW LIKELY. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 20S TO MID 30S.
VARIABLE WIND 10 MPH.
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The information in this advisory is from the U.S. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.
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This advisory provided by the Chugach National Forest, in partnership with:
The Friends of the Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information
Center |
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Winter Wildlands Alliance Backcountry Film Festival
Doors open at 6:45 - Grant Hall APU.
Benefit for AK Avalanche School
Suggested Donation $10.
www.winterwildlands.org |
Feb 13th, 2010 -- Feb 15th, 2010 |
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Level 1 Backcountry Avalanche Hazard Evaluation and Rescue Course
Great intro to safe backcountry travel!
Given by AK Avalanche School.
Location: Hatcher Pass & Turnagain Arm for
3 Full Days. Visit AlaskaAvalanche.com for details |
Feb 23rd, 2010 -- Feb 26th, 2010 |
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Valdez - AIARE Avy Level 2 in : Analyzing Snow Stability and Avalanche Hazard.
AIARE Level 2: Analyzing Snow Stability and Avalanche Hazard.
visit alaskasnow.org for more info |
Feb 26th, 2010 -- Feb 28th, 2010 |
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Level 1 Backcountry Avalanche Hazard Evaluation and Rescue Course
Great intro to safe backcountry travel!
Given by AK Avalanche School.
Location: Hatcher Pass & Turnagain Arm for
3 Full Days. Visit AlaskaAvalanche.com for details |
Mar 5th, 2010 -- Mar 7th, 2010 |
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Valdez - AIARE Level 1: Decision Making in Avalanche Terrain
AIARE Level 1: Decision Making in Avalanche Terrain
visit alaskasnow.org for more info. |
Mar 12th, 2010 -- Mar 14th, 2010 |
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Level 1 Backcountry Avalanche Hazard Evaluation and Rescue Course
Great intro to safe backcountry travel!
Given by AK Avalanche School.
Location: Turnagain Arm.
3 Full Days. Visit AlaskaAvalanche.com for details |
Mar 19th, 2010 -- Mar 22nd, 2010 |
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Level 2 Backcountry Avalanche Hazard Evaluation Course
Hone your avy knowledge!
Given by AK Avalanche School.
Location: Hatcher Pass & Turnagain Arm for
4 Full Days. Visit AlaskaAvalanche.com for details |
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