Turnagain Pass Avalanche Forecast
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The Bottom Line
The 2018/2019 winter avalanche season has begun!
It is looking like winter in Turnagain Pass, Girdwood and through much of the state. This is thanks to a widespread snow storm on Oct. 29th that brought 8″ of snow to Girdwood, 5-8″ along the Seward Hwy through Turnagain Pass and up to a foot or more at the higher elevations. The new snow fell onto older October snow above 2,500′ but onto bare ground below this. As of Monday morning, Nov 5th, there have been three reported skier triggered avalanches. Here’s a look at the snow/avalanche events to date:
– Oct 29th, 6-8″ of snow to sea level, 12+” of snow in the Alpine, followed by cold, clear weather.
– Oct. 30th, we received our first report of a small remote triggered avalanche along the Crow Pass Trail.
– Oct. 31st, avalanche triggered by a skier taking a few jumps on the snow at the entrance to a line off of Pastoral Peak. This avalanche was up to 2′ deep yet only 20′ wide.
– Nov 2nd, Wind event, 24 hours of sustained 20-30mph east winds in the Alpine
– Nov 3rd, another avalanche on Pastoral Peak, triggered intentionally by a skier performing a ski cut. This was a shallow wind slab, 3-8″ thick, 30′ wide and running full path.
These early season avalanches are good reminders that a thin snowpack can still produce a slide. They are also good reminders that a layered snowpack exists above 2,500′ in the Alpine where snow from mid-Oct existed before Oct 29th.
Red Flags to watch for:
- Recent avalanches
- Cracks in the snow that shoot out from you
- Whumpfing (collapsing) of the snowpack
- Rapid changes in weather (snow/rain/wind/temperature)
Remember to always consider the consequences of an avalanche, even a small wind slab can knock a person off their feet and somewhere they don’t want to go.
Pastoral Avalanches, North aspect, ~4,700′. Photo from Oct 31st (Andy Kubic)
Photos from Nov 3rd (Brady Deal)
A few photos from Turnagain Pass on Friday, Nov 2nd. Below is Seattle Ridge (Duncan Wright).
Below left, winds on Seattle Ridge Nov 2nd. Right, wind flagging off Sunburst ridge (Heather Thamm).
Thin snowpack… this is looking up at Repeat Offender on Seattle Ridge. Side note: sun crust formed last week on south aspects!
