Turnagain Pass Avalanche Forecast
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The Bottom Line
The avalanche danger is HIGH at all elevations. Heavy snowfall combined with strong winds have created unstable conditions in the backcountry. Slabs 1-5′ in depth could release naturally today.
Dangerous avalanche conditions exist. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended today.
Rapid loading has been occurring overnight. New snow amounts over the past 24 hours are in the 12-18” range on Turnagain Pass. This newest load has come on the heels of over 3 feet of new snow from earlier in the week. An additional 10″ of snow today will only add to the problem. This all boils down to a simple rule of thumb: snow does not like rapid change.
Included in Storm Snow concerns are Wind Slabs. Starting zones, cross loaded gullies and leeward slopes hold the potential for harboring sensitive wind slabs. Dense thick slabs up to 5 feet in depth have the potential to release naturally today. These slabs will be most sensitive as they are forming. Be on the lookout for rounded and smooth snow surfaces. Shooting cracks will be the first indicator that you are on a wind slab.
Failure within the storm snow layers could be anywhere from 1-5′ deep today. Avalanches occuring in these upper layers have the potential to step down to deeper layers in the snowpack.
Avoidance of avalanche terrain is essential today. This includes staying off of slopes 35 degrees and steeper, avoiding wind loaded areas and being far away from runout zones. It is critical to know what terrain is above you, especially when visibility is poor.
While the arrival of Winter Part III is welcome from a recreational perspective, it has also created a Deep Slab problem. Prior to March 10th the snow surface was comprised of a well developed layer of weak snow sitting on a crust. This combination was observed throughout the forecast area. That interface is now buried by as much as 5’ and on average over 3’ of snow. While it might be difficult to immediately affect this interface due to its depth, it is still the layer that is most concerning. (see video HERE for an explanation of this issue)
Avalanches failing at this interface have the potential to be high volume and unsurvivable. The travel advice related to this problem is the same-avoid being on or in the runout of avalanche terrain.
Warm temps and rain at sea level will allow for the chance of encountering wet loose avalanches in steep terrain. The observed rain snow line was around 500’ in elevation last night. If you find yourself slogging in wet snow below 1,000’ it will be important to stay off of any terrain over 35 degrees.
The snow continues to pile up! In the past 24 hours the Center Ridge SNOTEL site on Turnagain Pass has picked up 18 € of snow with 1.6 € of water with similar amounts in the Girdwood Valley. Ridgetop winds (Sunburst station) have averaged 52 mph out of the East with a max gust of 97 mph. Temps on ridge tops have remained in the low to mid 20s F. The rain/snow line has hovered around 500-800′.
Today expect a continuation of snow and wind. Another 6-10 € of snow with .65 € of water is possible today. Temperatures at 1,000′ will be around 32 F. Winds will back off slightly but still average in the 35-45 mph range.
Snowfall should taper off tonight. Temperatures (at 1,000′) will also drop into the teens by the nighttime hours. The extended outlook shows more of the same (snow & wind) heading into the weekend and early part of next week.
| Date | Region | Location | Observer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05/18/21 | Turnagain | Observation: Tincan Ridge | Joe Kurtak |
| 04/30/21 | Turnagain | Observation: Sunburst | W Wagner Forecaster |
| 04/27/21 | Turnagain | Observation: Tincan Ridge | Joe Kurtak |
| 04/26/21 | Turnagain | Observation: Magnum | Creighton/ Hoople |
| 04/25/21 | Turnagain | Observation: Sunburst | Nick D'Alessio |
| 04/24/21 | Turnagain | Observation: Airplane obs | Johnston-Bloom / DiJulia /Hilliard Forecaster |
| 04/24/21 | Turnagain | Observation: Corn biscuit | Heather Johnson |
| 04/23/21 | Turnagain | Avalanche: Lynx Ck Drainage | W Wagner Forecaster |
| 04/23/21 | Turnagain | Avalanche: Sunburst | Eeva Latosuo |
| 04/23/21 | Turnagain | Observation: Center Ridge Turnagain pass | Joe Kurtak |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
