Mon, January 02, 2017 Turnagain Pass Avalanche Forecast

Mon, January 2nd, 2017

Alpine
Above 2,500'

Moderate (2)

Treeline
1,000'-2,500'

Low (1)

Below Treeline
Below 1,000'

Low (1)

Alpine Above 2,500'		Moderate (2)
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

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.

More info at Avalanche.org

PERSISTENT SLAB AVALANCHES (In our current case: Hard WIND SLABS SITTING ON WEAK SNOW): A big wind event that occurred on December 30th has stripped many Southern and Western ridgetops and left an unusual loading pattern for our region; loading Northern and Eastern aspects. This wind event as well as the Christmas snow storm (a week ago) caused widespread avalanching in the area. Several persistent weak layers are buried within the snowpack (facets and buried surface hoar), but strong supportable snow may make it tough to find the right trigger spot.

Some uncertainty remains today with how the warm inverted air temps (approaching 40F) will affect the snowpack in the alpine. Although radiation from the sun at this time of year is minimal, whenever temperatures remain above freezing for 24 hours it is worth keeping in the back of your mind. Be skeptical of supportable and hollow sounding snow on steep slopes. Likely trigger spots will be in thinner areas of the snowpack in steep rocky terrain or on unsupported slopes that haven’t avalanched. Triggering a small isolated wind slab or a deeper slab 2+ feet is becoming more difficult, but is possible for a person or snowmachine to tip the balance. Obvious signs like cracking and ‘wumpfing’ are becoming less common and may not be an early warning sign.

Before exposing yourself to steeper terrain, ask yourself what will happen if the slope slides? Always practice safe travel habits to minimize exposure in avalanche terrain!

Expose one person at a time
Watch your partner from a safe zone
Have an escape route planned
Watch for other groups

A closer view of the natural avalanches that occured on Corn Biscuit’s North facing chutes last Friday (12/30.) Places that haven’t avalanched with similar characteristics (rocky starting zones, top loading and cross loading) remain suspect.

Most of the snow along Southern aspects have blown away making it unlikely to trigger an avalanche in these areas.

Weather

Mon, January 2nd, 2017

Yesterday skies were sunny and clear with light Northwest winds. A large temperature inversion was observed, 12F at 1000′ and 33F at ridge tops, which caused valley fog in Turnagain Arm.

Overnight ridge top temps increased into the high 30F’s Turnagain Pass and low 40F’s in the Girdwood Valley. Valley temps have remained around 10F. Winds have remained light and no precipitation was recorded.

Today expect a similar inverted weather pattern with above freezing temperatures in the alpine and temperatures near 10F in valley bottoms. This will trap dense Valley fog in and along Turnagain Arm.

PRECIPITATION 24-hour data (6am – 6am)

	Temp Avg (F)	Snow (in)	Water (in)	Snow Depth (in)
Center Ridge (1880′)	33	0	0	38
Summit Lake (1400′)	13	0	0	12
Alyeska Mid (1700′)	31	0	0	25

RIDGETOP 24-hour data (6am – 6am)

	Temp Avg (F)	Wind Dir	Wind Avg (mph)	Wind Gust (mph)
Sunburst (3812′)	35	W	4	13
Seattle Ridge (2400′)	36	NW	5	16

Observations

Recent Observations for Turnagain Pass

Date	Region	Location	Observer
05/22/23	Turnagain	Avalanche: Tincan	Nick D'Alessio
05/12/23	Turnagain	Avalanche: Tincan, Sunburst, Magnum, Cornbiscuit	Heather Thamm
05/07/23	Turnagain	Observation: Tincan – Bear Tracks	CNFAIC Staff
05/05/23	Turnagain	Observation: Seattle Ridge	AS/ WW Forecaster
05/02/23	Turnagain	Observation: Cornbiscuit	Schauer/ Sturgess Forecaster
05/02/23	Turnagain	Observation: Seward Hwy Turnagain Pass	Joel Curtis
04/30/23	Turnagain	Observation: Magnum	Ayla, Kit Crosby, Barton
04/29/23	Turnagain	Observation: Tincan	John Sykes
04/28/23	Turnagain	Avalanche: Taylor Pass/Pastoral	Schauer/ Creighton Forecaster
04/28/23	Turnagain	Avalanche: Tincan	Andy Moderow

Riding Areas

Updated Thu, June 01st, 2023

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	Closed May 15.
Placer River	Closed	Closed May 15.
Skookum Drainage	Closed	Will close to motorized use on April 1, 2023 per the National Forest Plan.
Turnagain Pass	Closed	Will close on June 1.
Twentymile	Closed	Scheduled closure May 1.
Seward District
Carter Lake	Closed	Scheduled closure May 1.
Lost Lake Trail	Closed	Scheduled closure May 1.
Primrose Trail	Closed	Scheduled closure May 1.
Resurrection Pass Trail	Closed	Closed to motorized use for the 2022/23 winter season per Forest Plan. Open next season.
Snug Harbor	Closed	Extended opening until May 15.
South Fork Snow River Corridor	Closed	Scheduled closure May 1.
Summit Lake	Closed	Scheduled closure May 1.