Avalanche Advisory
Friday, December 27th 2013 6:20 am by Kevin Wright ARCHIVED ADVISORY - All advisories expire after 24 hours from the posting date/time. |
Continued red flags, including whoomphing (collapsing) in the snowpack are keeping the danger rating at MODERATE above treeline. Steeper slopes should be approached with caution, as the slab/weak layer problem is well understood. Despite the duration we've had without new snow, lingering instability is keeping us wary of steeper terrain.
Snow is forecasted for this evening, meaning a small increase in the avalanche danger is expected tomorrow.
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Travel Advice: Heightened avalanche conditions on specific terrain features. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully; identify features of concern. |
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Travel Advice: Generally safe avalanche conditions. Watch for unstable snow on isolated terrain features. |
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Travel Advice: Generally safe avalanche conditions. Watch for unstable snow on isolated terrain features. |
Check out this Kickstarter project for an all female ski movie. The project will include filming within our own Chugach National Forest, and will have local talent in the cast. It will be used as an educational tool for avalanche awareness trainings with SheJumps. The project is soliciting support and has 20 days to the deadline.
The poor structure of the snowpack is the culprit behind the collapsing that's keeping us worried. The most reactive layers we've been seeing are the facets above the early December "drizzle" crust (see pit profile here). This layer is showing a tendency to propagate in some pit tests, and we believe it is the big player in most of the recent natural and skier triggered avalanches.
Check out Fitz's video for a discussion of managing the Moderate problem on Thursday.
There remains some evidence of wind slab avalanche activity from the wind storm on Monday. On Thursday we found numerous mid slope crown lines near Crow Pass from avalanches that presumably happened during that wind event. We can expect some areas to be holding stiff wind slab that didn't slide spontaneously, but may be triggered by a person hitting a trigger point.
Weather has been consistently benign since Monday with cold, clear, and calm conditions. Temperatures are a little warmer at the ridgetops today, so don't let cold Anchorage temperatures keep you at home today.
Look for increasing clouds today, and snowfall is expected to commence tonight in Eastern Turnagain Arm. Up to 4-8 inches of snow is in the forecast for tonight!
The storm will be short lived as the front sweeps across southcentral Alaska, with snow tapering Saturday morning and ending.
This is a general backcountry avalanche advisory issued for Turnagain Arm with Turnagain Pass as the core advisory area (this advisory does not apply to highways, railroads, or operating ski areas).
Riding status is not associated with avalanche danger. An area will be open to motorized use in accordance to the Forest Management Plan when snow coverage is adequate to protect underlying vegetation. Backcountry hazards including avalanche hazard are always present regardless of the open status of motorized use areas.
(Updated: Apr 22, 2018 )
AREA | STATUS | WEATHER AND RIDING CONDITIONS |
Glacier District | ||
Johnson Pass: | Closed | Closed as of April 20th |
Placer River: | Closed | Closed as of April 17th |
Skookum Drainage: | Closed | Closed as of April 1st. |
Turnagain Pass: | Open | |
Twentymile: | Closed | Closed as of April 13th |
Seward District | ||
Carter Lake: | Open | |
Lost Lake Trail: | Closed | Closed as of April 13th |
Primrose Trail: | Closed | Closed as of April 13th |
Resurrection Pass Trail: | Closed | Closed as of April 20th |
Snug Harbor: | Open | |
South Fork Snow River Corridor: | Closed | Closed as of April 13th |
Summit Lake: | Closed | Closed as of April 20th |
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SNOW AND AVALANCHE HOTLINE (907) 754-2369 If you have comments or questions regarding CNFAIC operations or winter recreation management, please email staff@chugachavalanche.org
© 2018 Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center. All rights reserved. |
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