Chugach State Park

Recent Avalanches:  Over the past week, we have had five observations in the Chugach State Park, with one observation mentioning several small natural and skier-triggered dry loose avalanches. Thank you to everyone who has submitted observations! We always appreciate any information the public has to share.

Natural dry loose avalanches on the south aspect of Little O’Malley. Photo: Joe Kurtak 1.31.24

Skier triggered dry loose avalanches on the south aspect of Little O’Malley. Photo: Joe Kurtak. 1.31.24

Weather Recap: In the past week, the Front Range has received roughly a foot of dry, low-density snow. There was a significant wind event that hit the Front Range Thursday with sustained 20-30 mph winds from the northwest. Temperatures have been chilly, ranging from negative teens to highs of mid-twenties and an average of around 0 F.  At the base of the South Fork of Eagle River Valley, temperatures dipped as low as -38 F. So cold; it almost feels like we are in Fairbanks!

Snow depth continues to vary in the region. Despite the new snow, after the wind event on Thursday, conditions range from bare ground to over nine feet of snow with an average of about four feet.

Weather Forecast: Friday and Saturday are looking like the clear skies and cold temperature trend will continue. Temperatures are forecasted for as low as -17 F on Friday evening and highs in the single digits on Saturday. Starting Saturday afternoon, cloud coverage is expected to come in. Up to 5 inches of snow mixed with 10-30 mph winds from the southeast will start Saturday afternoon and taper off Sunday afternoon. Temperatures Saturday afternoon are expected to rise from the single digits to the low twenties by Sunday evening.

Frostbite or other cold injuries are still a possibility this weekend. Your extremities- hands, feet, ears, or tip of your nose are most vulnerable to cold weather injuries. Try to keep those areas covered and watch out for the first signs of frostbite (numbness, clumsiness, and cold skin).

Wind Slabs: The foot of light low-density snow that came in earlier this week was easy for the wind to pick up and move around on Thursday. The past wind event came in from the northwest and the wind event Saturday is forecast to come from the southeast. Strong winds with light snow can create wind slabs in more unusual spots from cross-loading and loading mid-slope.

As mentioned in the bottom line, to identify areas with wind slabs, look for active wind transport and feel for firmer, hollow snow on the surface. Carefully evaluate cross-loaded gullies, wind-loaded ridges, and rollover features, and be on the lookout for shooting cracks. Keep in mind that stiffer wind slabs often fail once you are farther out onto the slope and can surprise you. Using small test slopes can be a good way to check whether wind slabs are reactive to human triggers in the area you are traveling.

Dry Loose Avalanches: If you find yourself in steep, wind-sheltered terrain with soft snow, small, dry, loose avalanches are possible.  Use sluff management techniques when appropriate.

Freshly wind-sculpted snow at the ridge on Little O’Malley. Photo: Michael Kerst 1.31.24

Persistent Slabs: For the past two weeks we were able to get some reactive stability test results on the near-surface facet layer roughly 13” down from the snow surface. With the added stress on the snowpack from the winds, this layer could become easier to trigger. Additionally, there is a persistent weak layer we are still monitoring at the base of the snowpack at elevations over 2,500’. This layer of depth hoar and basal facets (weak, sugary snow) is the type of layer that has the lingering potential to cause an avalanche if you happen to find the trigger point in a thinner spot in the snowpack.

ECTP25 on a near-surface facet layer buried roughly 13” down from the snow surface. Photo: 1.31.24

Another photo from ECT test. Photo: 1.31.24