Turnagain Pass
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WINTER HAS ARRIVED!!!!! ARE YOU READY FOR THE 2016/17 SEASON??? Check out this observation from Turnagain Pass today.
The Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center is gearing up and the snow in October is adding to the excitement. We have just had the second snowfall of the season (the first was in late September) and more is likely on the way. With this is mind, we wanted to remind folks about early season avalanche conditions and encourage you to attend a few upcoming events.
Mark your calendars:
- Friday, Nov 4th: Southcentral Alaska Avalanche Workshop – Alaska’s regional professional workshop. ***NEW this year, the afternoon session is FREE (12:30-4:30pm) and geared for backcountry travelers!!***
- Thursday, Nov 17th: Friends of the CNFAIC Fall FUNdraiser – Don’t miss this chance to support your avalanche center and get inspired for the season listening to Elyse Saugstad’s ski adventures!!!
- Tuesday, Nov 8th: Avalanche Awareness and navigating the CNFAIC website and tools.
6:30-8pm at Ski AK’s new location on Benson (same entry as the Trek bike shop) in Anchorage
Stay tuned for more events, including our free awareness courses and Fireside Chats to be listed on our calendar page this week.
We will begin issuing intermittent updates if the snow keeps falling on this page as well as posting on our Facebook and Instagram pages (Facebook link in the upper right corner and Instagram: @chugachavy). Full advisories with danger ratings will begin sometime in November or as snow and avalanche conditions warrant.
**If you venture out remember if there is snow to ride there is snow to slide. Keep in mind the Crow Pass trail crosses several avalanche paths and even a small early season storm can produce slides that run over the trail. Heads up!
Early season hazards:
Rocks, alders, crevasses and avalanches.
What to clue into:
1) Rapid changes in weather? This includes recent or current snowfall, wind, rain on snow and warm temperatures after a storm. One layer of snow can be a slab! What surface is the snow falling on?
2) Recent avalanches in the past 1 or 2 days?
3) Cracking, collapsing, whumphing?
4) What are the consequences if the slope does slide? Will you go off a cliff? Into a crevasse? Over the rocks? Are there other terrain traps?
Check your rescue gear, put fresh batteries in your beacon, tune up your brain!
Let us know what you see! Submit an observation or drop us a note staff@chugachavalanche.org!
THINK COLD POWDER THOUGHTS FOR THIS SEASON!!!!
