Turnagain Pass

Wind slabs: Over the last few days several wind events combined with over a foot of new snow have created fresh wind slabs up to 20” thick on leeward features. The good news is this new snow is bonding well with the old snow below, however not enough time has passed for this hazard to have completely healed. Wind slabs are likely to be tender and found on slopes steeper than 38°. Trigging an isolated wind slab in the wrong place, like over a cliff or above a terrain trap, could have high consequences.  Should today’s visibility allow for easy access into steeper terrain avoid wind-loaded features, watch for shooting cracks, and choose your terrain wisely.

Cornices: Already large cornices have received additional stress over the last 3 days.  Strong winds have been adding weight to their robust size and could be extra tender today. These backcountry bombs have a tendency to break farther back than expected and can send you for an undesirable ride.  Approach ridgelines with caution and avoid being on or directly below cornices features. 

Yesterday’s poor visibility prevented a view into the alpine, but here’s a photo from Tuesday, Jan.19th, of Tincan Proper. Note the large cornice near the ridge and wind-loaded pillow features. Above photo by Aleph J-Bloom

An observation yesterday from Seattle Ridge showed good bonding of new snow and old snow – however tender windslabs are suspect in steep terrain. Photo by Wendy Wagner 

In places protected by the wind 12” of loose unconsolidated snow could be fast moving in steep terrain. Loose snow can easily knock a person off of their feet or take them for a ride over a cliff or into a terrain trap. Manage your ‘sluff’ by letting loose snow move past you and avoid terrain features with high consequences. 

Today at Treeline (the 1,000’ – 2,500’ elevation band) on all aspects, pay attention to and avoid glide cracks. These can lead to glide avalanches that are very unpredictable as we have seen over the past few days. There is no discernable pattern to predict a failure as they tend to fail naturally and on their own schedule. Warm temperatures can trigger them and so can cooling temperatures. Cracks can form and release in seconds or days later or sometimes a glide crack won’t release at all. The new snow has made it harder to see the existing cracks and glide releases in the terrain. 

It is best to give glide cracks a wide berth.  Avoid spending time underneath and if skiing or riding in terrain with glide cracks, try and map them out before your travels so as not to end up directly on top of or inside one.  Remember, when these do fail, they tend to be destructive, failing to the ground and bringing the entirety of the snowpack with them. 

Close up comparision of a glide crack on the East face of Seattle Ridge that released suddenly on Jan.16. These glide releases are now covered with fresh snow and harder to see.