Turnagain Pass Avalanche Forecast RSS

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ARCHIVED FORECAST - All forecasts expire after 24 hours from the posting date/time.
Issued
Thu, November 16th, 2017 - 7:00AM
Expires
Fri, November 17th, 2017 - 7:00AM
Forecaster
CNFAIC Staff
Avalanche risk The Bottom Line

We will continue to post updates on conditions and some educational reminders for the season. Daily advisories will begin the week of Thanksgiving if there is enough snow! High pressure has dominated the region for the past week. Today there is system moving over that could produce a couple of inches of snow. There is another storm on tap for the weekend but there is uncertainty about the track and how much snow it will produce for the advisory area. Stay tuned.  

We went out on Tuesday to Turnagain Pass to take inventory of surface conditions in anticipation of getting a little snow today… and maybe some this weekend (we hope).  Variable and thin are good ways to describe the snow cover. There was grass with a couple inches of snow and surface hoar down low, melt-freeze crust starting at 1600′ with facets over the crust in places and there was very wind affected snow near and above treeline. Check out the observation  for all the details. The big take-away was that there is snow in most of the start zones and new snow may not bond well to current surface conditions.    Tuesday’s terrible skiing could be tomorrow’s weak layer!  

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Thu, November 16th, 2017
Alpine
Above 2,500'
No Rating (0)
Avalanche risk
Treeline
1,000'-2,500'
No Rating (0)
Avalanche risk
Below Treeline
Below 1,000'
No Rating (0)
Avalanche risk
Alpine
Above 2,500'		 Avalanche risk
No Rating (0)
Treeline
1,000'-2,500'		 Avalanche risk
No Rating (0)
Below Treeline
Below 1,000'		 Avalanche risk
No Rating (0)
Danger Scale:
No Rating (0)
Low (1)
Moderate (2)
Considerable (3)
High (4)
Extreme (5)
Avalanche Problem 1
  • Announcement
    Announcement

We are focusing each early season update on one of the Know Before You Go’s ‘GETS’.  Today’s GET is GET THE TRAINING!  (Know Before You Go video link in case you missed it)

 

We really can’t express enough, how important it is to take avalanche class and practice all the skills you learn and then refresh… and practice… and take another class… and always have the mindset that there is more to know about snow. There are a variety of courses to take in Southcentral Alaska. Check out alaskaavalancheschool.com and alaskasnow.org to find one. Both providers have snowmachine specific course offerings this season. Use our Events Calender to find out when we are offering Free awareness classes and rescue workshops. We will be adding more events to this in the next few weeks. Avalanche.org is another a great resource for avalanche information and you can check out the National Avalanche Center Encyclopedia there at the bottom of the Education page. 

AVALANCHE EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIPS

The Friends of the CNFAIC have two scholarships dedicated to avalanche education. The funds generated to make these possible are in celebration of Rob Hamel and Amy Downing, their love and passion for the mountains, and to help others stay safe. We encourage you to read each one and apply yourself if you fit the need, or pass along to someone who could benefit.  Applications due on Dec 15th.

Rob Hamel Scholarship Fund – For recreational users and professional avalanche workers.

Amy Downing Scholarship Fund – For recreational users.

Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center offers a scholarship for Mat-Su residents: Johnny Soderstrom Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Alaska Avalanche School offers scholarships as well. Applications are due November 30th: AAS Scholarships.

Please follow us on Facebook and on Instagram @chugachavy for more updates, photos, events and interesting avalanche related posts. 

Weather
Thu, November 16th, 2017

For weather information during these updates, see:

CNFAIC Weather Page

NWS Mountain Recreation Forecast  

Observations
Recent Observations for Turnagain Pass
Date Region Location Observer
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Riding Areas
Updated Tue, April 20th, 2021

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
Open
No parking in turnaround at end of the road near the outhouse.
Placer River
Open
Please do not ride along Railroad tracks. Cross tracks at 90 degree angle and clear the right of way.
Skookum Drainage
Closed
The Skookum Valley is closed to snowmachines. This closure occurs annually on April 1 as per the CNF Forest Plan.
Turnagain Pass
Open
Twentymile
Closed
Seward District
Carter Lake
Open
Lost Lake Trail
Open
Primrose Trail
Open
Resurrection Pass Trail
Closed
Closed for the 2020/21 winter season.
Snug Harbor
Open
South Fork Snow River Corridor
Open
Summit Lake
Open

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This is a general backcountry avalanche advisory issued for Turnagain Arm with Turnagain Pass as the core advisory area. This advisory does not apply to highways, railroads or operating ski areas.

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