Turnagain Pass Avalanche Forecast

There was one report of a shallow slab avalanche on the Seattle Headwall yesterday. It was triggered by a snowboarder, who was able to ride off the slab. It was on a NE aspect around 3,400′ in elevations. It was reported at 8-12″ deep, 70-90′ wide. (Video HERE).

There was also a report of a large cornice fall in Goldpan (upper Bertha Creek drainage). It is unknown when this occurred, but it looked to be in the past couple days.

Snowboarder-triggered slab referred to above on the Seattle Headwall. Photo Graham Predeger, 4.9.22.

Large cornice fall in the Goldpan area that lies in upper Bertha Creek. Unknown time of release, but most likely during the past two days. Photo by Nick D’Alessio 4.9.22.

Another brilliant sunny day is on tap with light to moderate northwest ridgetop winds. With several days of generally quiet weather and a generally stable snowpack, we are now in a Normal Caution regime. This doesn’t mean we can turn our brains off though. There are always wintertime avalanche hazards anytime there is snow on the slopes. Bulleted below are the main ways someone could find a mishap.

Shallow slabs on upper elevation northerly aspects:  There could be either some lingering wind slabs or a lingering soft slab sitting on a weak layer in these specific areas (high elevation shaded slopes). The snowboarder triggered slab is a perfect example of a small (ish) avalanche that can occur. Even a small slab can have big consequences if it knocks a person down steep rocky terrain or cliffs, for example. Look for those classic signs of wind loading, smooth rounded pillows, hollow feeling snow, and cracking in the snow around you.

Cornice Falls:  The recent large cornice fall in Goldpan is a good reminder to really be extra cautious when traveling along ridgelines. These can pull back much farther than one might expect and so we really do have to give them a wide berth. It’s also good to remember that warming temperatures in the afternoon can add to the instability.

Wet loose avalanches:  The sun may heat up southerly aspects enough today to melt the top few inches of the surface crusts. It’s that time of year to pay attention to whether or not the surface is becoming wet and saturated. If there are several inches of loose wet snow, it’s time to head to a cooler slope. Wet avalanches are likely to be small today, but could become larger as the week progresses with steadily increasing daytime temperatures.

Glide avalanches:  Watch for glide cracks and limit any time under them. We have seen a few glide cracks release into avalanches in the region. There are several cracks along Seattle Ridge, Tincan, Eddies, and elsewhere.