Turnagain Pass Avalanche Forecast
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Several inches of light dry snow covers the surface in most areas of our region. The areas we covered yesterday did not show signs of avalanche potential besides minor sluffing of the dry surface snow.
Watch for areas with older stiff wind slab that may have formed over the weekend. A few more inches of cold snow may fall today, but with only minimal wind expected it should not contribute to the avalanche potential.
Recent snowfall has brought more snow to the Anchorage area, so don’t expect to find deeper powder by driving south.
Sluffing was easy to initiate yesterday with the ultra dry layer on the surface. Steeper confined terrain like chutes and couloirs could likely entrain enough volume to knock someone off their feet.
From the avalanche perspective, loose snow is a manageable concern. Use the terrain to let the sluff fall away and to the side of your line, stop periodically to allow it to pass, or keep enough speed to stay in front of it.
Wind appeared to be strongest overnight through the channeled terrain of Turnagain Arm. Sunburst station showed relatively little wind. In those areas that saw gusting into the 20s we may have wind slab at higher elevations. The dry nature of the recent snowfall makes that snow easy to pick up and move around by the wind. Many of the weather stations showed a northwest wind direction, meaning that south and east facing slopes are most likely to have wind slabs.
Besides the surface snow, the underlying bed surface may contribute to the problems. Southerly faces and anything that got sun exposure in the last week will have a thick crust under the new snow. That crust may contribute to poor bonding of other layers and complicate the issues.
Temperatures dropped overnight, with ridgetop temperatures near 0 degrees or colder in some areas. Sea level is in the mid teens, and we will see some daytime increase.
A small amount of snow is in the forecast and some areas got a few inches overnight. Expect any snow to be very light and dry.
Northwest wind will stay minimal, less that 10mph.
Fitz will issue the next advisory tomorrow morning, April 11th.
Date | Region | Location | Observer |
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02/07/23 | Turnagain | Observation: Seattle Ridge | Wagner / Keeler Forecaster |
02/07/23 | Turnagain | Avalanche: Pete’s North | Megan Guinn |
02/05/23 | Turnagain | Observation: Rookie Hill | Tony Naciuk |
01/31/23 | Turnagain | Observation: Johnson Pass area | Megan Guinn / W Wagner Forecaster |
01/29/23 | Turnagain | Observation: Tincan Backdoor | AAS-Level 1 1/27-1/30 |
01/28/23 | Turnagain | Observation: Sunburst | Brooke Edwards |
01/28/23 | Turnagain | Avalanche: Seattle Ridge | W Wagner |
01/28/23 | Turnagain | Observation: Tincan Common | Tony Naciuk |
01/27/23 | Turnagain | Observation: Sunburst | John Sykes |
01/27/23 | Turnagain | Avalanche: Lynx Creek | Megan Guinn / W Wagner |
Status of riding areas across the Chugach NF is managed by the Glacier and Seward Ranger Districts, not avalanche center staff. Riding area information is posted as a public service to our users and updated based on snow depth and snow density to prevent resource damage at trailhead locations. Riding area questions contact: mailroom_r10_chugach@fs.fed.us
Area | Status | Weather & Riding Conditions |
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Glacier District |
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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.