Sat, April 05, 2014 Turnagain Pass Avalanche Forecast

Sat, April 5th, 2014

Alpine
Above 2,500'

Low (1)

Treeline
1,000'-2,500'

Low (1)

Below Treeline
Below 1,000'

Low (1)

Alpine Above 2,500'		Low (1)
Treeline 1,000'-2,500'		Low (1)
Below Treeline Below 1,000'		Low (1)

Danger Scale:

No Rating (0)

Low (1)

Moderate (2)

Considerable (3)

High (4)

Extreme (5)

Avalanche Problem 1

Wind Slabs

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.

More info at Avalanche.org

It looks like another day of normal caution, with a couple extra thoughts regarding accumulating snow. Any avalanche activity today will be shallow, no deeper than the surface snow that we’ve been on for the last 3 weeks.

If snowfall today is 4 inches or less as predicted, the worst avalanche problems should be very small and manageable – not really a danger, but something to watch. If more than 6 inches falls today, wind slabs could reach 1 foot deep and will be poorly bonded to the surface underneath – these could be a game changer in steep terrain and not something you want to mess with.

As we all hope for another good winter storm, we can’t forget about the old surface conditions that make up the new interface of concern in the snowpack. South faces have been baking in the sun for the last 3 weeks, and freezing up hard at night. North faces have been faceting out into unconsolidated sugar snow. Surface hoar is present nearly everywhere we’ve looked the last few days. All of these components will be difficult for new snow to bond to, making for potentially unstable conditions when the new snow becomes deep enough.

Avalanche Problem 2

Cornice

Cornice

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.

More info at Avalanche.org

The old cornice problem is still present. As always, give the mature overhanging cornices a wide berth when traveling on ridge tops. With new snow and wind, cornices will be growing again for the next few days.

Weather

Sat, April 5th, 2014

Temperatures moderated just a bit yesterday, with slightly higher lows and lower highs. Winds have increased. A tiny bit of snow started falling yesterday, but no more than an inch.

For today the snow amount is predicted to be 1-4 inches, with a snow/rain line at 1300 feet. Look for a southeast wind of 16-32mph.

The outlook through Sunday looks like more of the same. The precipitation intensity is not expected to be very significant. With a few days of snow showers we might see enough accumulation to change surface conditions for the better and produce some small avalanche activity.

Observations

Recent Observations for Turnagain Pass

Date	Region	Location	Observer
05/06/20	Turnagain	Avalanche: Pastoral Peak, north face	Andy Duenow
04/10/20	Turnagain	Avalanche: Wolverine	Mike Records
04/10/20	Turnagain	Observation: Eddies lookers right shoulder	Matt Yoder
04/09/20	Turnagain	Observation: Bench Peak	Mike Records
04/04/20	Turnagain	Observation: Tincan	Anonymous
04/04/20	Turnagain	Observation: Pete’s North	Anonymous
03/26/20	Turnagain	Avalanche: Tincan – Proper (SW facing)	CNFAIC Staff
03/26/20	Turnagain	Avalanche: Seattle Ridge	W Wagner Forecaster
03/25/20	Turnagain	Avalanche: Sunburst Uptrack @ 2000′	J. Boisvert
03/24/20	Turnagain	Observation: Turnagain – Road Observations	W Wagner Forecaster

Riding Areas

Updated Mon, October 26th, 2020

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
Johnson Pass	Closed
Placer River	Closed
Skookum Drainage	Closed
Turnagain Pass	Closed
Twentymile	Closed
Seward District
Carter Lake	Closed
Lost Lake Trail	Closed
Primrose Trail	Closed
Resurrection Pass Trail	Closed
Snug Harbor	Closed
South Fork Snow River Corridor	Closed
Summit Lake	Closed