Turnagain Pass

Will daytime temperatures reach a season high today? 

Sunny skies combined with unseasonable warm weather could push temperatures into the high 40F’s to mid 50F’s today.  Last night was the second night in a row of above freezing temperatures in the mid elevation zone and rain/snow line yesterday was observed around 2500’. At treeline 4-6” of wet snow is sitting on a supportable crust where wet loose avalanches will be a concern today on slopes steeper than 35 degrees. The size will be directly proportional to the size of the terrain, and larger slopes will be more dangerous where more snow is available to entrain and pick up momentum. In the alpine where drier snow is sitting on a smooth bed surface there is more potential for moist/wet slab activity. Pay attention for rollerballs and avoid being on or under steep slopes today.  The danger will increase with warming temperatures and solar impact throughout the day.

In Girdwood and Portage Valley where more snow has fallen over the last three days, expect wet loose activity to be larger. Cautious routefinding and a conservative mindset will be the best strategy for travel in the backcountry. 

The glide avalanche cycle continues without interruption. Yesterday another handful of new glide releases were identified between Girdwood and Turnagain Pass including a large glide avalanche that stopped just short of the Turnagain Arm bike path on Penguin Ridge.

In Turnagain Pass a glide crack on Seattle Ridge has been growing and is starting to threaten portions of the common uptrack.  A recent glide avalanche in this location, above this glide crack occurred on 3/29 in conjuntion with a storm slab. The debris pile is quite large and runs over well-traveled terrain. This should definitely warrant concern, today’s warm temperatures will only be weakening the snowpack. Glide avalanches are completely unpredictable and could happen at any moment, avoidance is strongly recommended.

Portions of the Seattle Ridge uptrack (in orange) are in the runout of a growing glide crack on Seattle Ridge. 

View of recent glide activity on East face of Seattle Ridge with a large glide crack in the foreground on Tincan SW aspect.

Cornices remain extremely large and perched along many ridgelines. These features deserve extra space and can break farther back than expected. Triggering a cornice will become more likely later in the day with sun and warming temperatures. 

Wind slabs: In the upper alpine (above 3500’) where temperatures have remained below freezing, wind slabs remain a concern on unsupported slopes and will be more suspect during the heat of the day with warming temperatures. These wind slabs could be extra touchy where they are sitting on a stout melt freeze crust below.