Turnagain Pass
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A MODERATE danger rating exists again today above treeline where shallow slabs yesterday proved quite easy to trigger on a variety of bed surfaces. Expect these slabs to build in thickness today, as light density snow from Monday’s storm will be easily transportable under SE winds forecasted to be in the 30 to 45mph range. If snowfall amounts exceed 6 € during the day, with forecasted winds the avalanche danger will very likely increase to CONSIDERABLE by days end.
Permanent Fund Divedend applications are due by the end of the month for any procrastinating Alaskan’s out there! Consider donating a portion of your PFD to the Friends- CNFAIC through Pick. Click. Give. as a tax deductible donation and help support YOUR local avalanche Center!
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Travel Advice | Generally safe avalanche conditions. Watch for unstable snow on isolated terrain features. | Heightened avalanche conditions on specific terrain features. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully; identify features of concern. | Dangerous avalanche conditions. Careful snowpack evaluation, cautious route-finding, and conservative decision-making essential. | Very dangerous avalanche conditions. Travel in avalanche terrain not recommended. | Extraordinarily dangerous avalanche conditions. Avoid all avalanche terrain. |
Likelihood of Avalanches | Natural and human-triggered avalanches unlikely. | Natural avalanches unlikely; human-triggered avalanches possible. | Natural avalanches possible; human-triggered avalanches likely. | Natural avalanches likely; human-triggered avalanches very likely. | Natural and human-triggered avalanches certain. |
Avalanche Size and Distribution | Small avalanches in isolated areas or extreme terrain. | Small avalanches in specific areas; or large avalanches in isolated areas. | Small avalanches in many areas; or large avalanches in specific areas; or very large avalanches in isolated areas. | Large avalanches in many areas; or very large avalanches in specific areas. | Very large avalanches in many areas. |
In the Turnagain pass zone yesterday my partner and I found shallow soft wind slabs (6-10” deep) that were easy to trigger in terrain greater than ~38 degrees. This problem was shown to be quite manageable yesterday as these slabs were all small and relatively predictable. Today is going to be an entirely different ball game as SE winds and new snow will build these slabs to ‘unmanageable’. Slabs are sitting on a variety of crusts and stiff wind board on south, east and west aspects; all exhibit attributes of a slick bed surfaces. To top it off, there do still exist pockets of facets acting as a weak layer from our prolonged mid-March sunny spell. It’ll be wise to pay particular attention to leeward facing slopes and cross-loaded gullies, as this is where you’ll find deeper, wind loaded pockets ripe for a trigger today. Pay attention to indicator slopes and/ or try and test the snow on smaller test slopes prior to committing to bigger or steeper terrain.
Shallow, easily triggerable wind slab yesterday.
With plenty of snow available for transport, moderate winds today and increasing temperatures on the horizon I think cornices warrant a brief discussion. It’s been several weeks since we’ve seen a cornice fall so what this tells me is that they are continuing to grow and ripen as we near April 1st. Cornices are nearly impossible to forecast for so what we can do is mitigate this hazard by reducing time spent below a cornices and travel well back from the roof of a cornice. There are some enormous cornices in the backcountry right now and inevitably many of them will fail in the last month or so of our season. Play it safe and avoid these backcountry bombs!
Temperatures warmed substantially yesterday from single digits to the low 20’s at 1000′ as we watched the approach of high clouds stream into south-central. Southeast winds in the 30-45 mph range look to be the biggest game changer today as a warm front advances through the Gulf of Alaska and into our region. Snowfall amounts throughout the day are expected to be in the 2-6 € range with temperatures in the low 30’s, meaning mostly snow at sea level. Overnight, winds and precip are expected to increase with the potential for another foot of snow by Friday morning.
Fitz will issue the next advisory tomorrow morning, March 29th.
Date | Region | Location | Observer |
---|---|---|---|
10/27/24 | Turnagain | Observation: Tincan | Michael Kerst |
10/21/24 | Turnagain | Observation: Turnagain Pass Road Observation | Trevor Clayton |
10/19/24 | Turnagain | Observation: Tincan – Below Todds Run | Andy Moderow |
10/18/24 | Turnagain | Observation: Taylor Pass | Eli Neuffer |
10/15/24 | Turnagain | Observation: Tincan Common | John Sykes Forecaster |
10/14/24 | Turnagain | Avalanche: Tincan | CNFAC Staff |
05/13/24 | Turnagain | Observation: Eddie’s, Sunburst, Seattle, Cornbiscuit, Pete’s South | H Thamm |
05/13/24 | Turnagain | Observation: Turnagain Pass non-motorized side | Amy Holman |
05/12/24 | Turnagain | Observation: Warm up Bowl | Tony Naciuk |
05/07/24 | Turnagain | Observation: Turnagain Pass Wet Slabs | A S |
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