Chugach State Park

Recent Avalanches: Over the past week, we have had six observations with one observation documenting a small skier-triggered avalanche on the new storm snow and old snow interface on False Peak. The avalanche crown was 5 inches deep and propagated 30 feet across, running 400 vertical feet down on a southwest aspect on a 35-degree slope angle. We rely heavily on public observations, we always appreciate any information you all have to share. Thank you!

Small storm snow avalanche on False Peak. Photo: Carolyn Highland 04.06.24

Weather Recap: The Front Range received 7″-16″ of new snow this week. The majority of that snow came in last weekend without a lot of wind. A wind event came in on Thursday with sustained 20-30 mph winds for over 12 hours with gusts up to 50 mph from the SE. Temperatures this week ranged from 10F to 45F with an average of around 25F.

The 7″ to 16″ of new snow with limited wind this week increased traffic significantly in the Front Range. Snow depth is still variable underneath the new snow, with bare ground to up to 11′ of snow in wind-deposited gullies. It may not feel like it at this moment but it is mid-April and we have been seeing slowly trending warmer temperatures. This is the time of year to note how much the snow surface is warming in the afternoons.

Weather Forecast: There is a wind event today (Friday, April 12th) with sustained 10 to 25 mph winds with gusts up to 50 mph from the SSE. This wind event is forecast to end this evening.  Several inches of new snow is forecast to come in with that wind event. Saturday is looking like partly cloudy skies with light winds from the NW with snow flurries. Sunday looks like mostly clear skies and light winds from the NW. Temperatures this weekend are forecast to range from low teens to mid-twenties Fahrenheit.

O’Malley and False Peak. Photo: Joe Kurtak 4.10.24

Wind Slabs: As mentioned in the weather recap, we have 7″-16″ of new snow available for wind transport and we have a wind event hitting the Front Range today (Friday, April 12th) with sustained 10 to 25 mph winds with gusts up to 50 mph from the SSE. We also had another wind event on Thursday with sustained 20-30 mph winds for over 12 hours with gusts up to 50 mph from the SE. While there are no major winds in the weather forecast for this weekend, the recent events from Thursday and Friday could make surface conditions touchy, especially if you are planning to get out in the Front Range on Saturday. The wind slabs will most likely be at ridgetops and higher elevations. We recommend sticking to wind-sheltered terrain. Be on the lookout for shooting cracks and carefully evaluate rollover features and cross-loaded gullies.

Wet Loose: If you are traveling on steep southerly aspects, be on the lookout for the warming and melting of the snow surface and wet loose avalanches.

Persistent Slabs:  The Front Range still has poor snowpack structure. We got a concerning test result on the facet layer at the base of the snowpack on our field day in South Fork of Eagle River on Monday. While we have not seen any avalanches on this layer in months and think that the likelihood of someone triggering an avalanche here would be a surprise, however,  we are still tracking and monitoring it.

Snowpack in South Fork of Eagle River. Photo: 4.08.24