Turnagain Pass Archives
| Date | Rating | Problem #1 | Problem #2 | The Bottom Line |
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 Storm Slabs
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A generally LOW avalanche danger exists across all elevations bands for the Turnagain area today. Triggering a slab avalanche is unlikely but not impossible. As winds increase and snow falls the danger may rise to MODERATE in the Alpine late in the day. Pay attention to changing conditions and expect the avalanche danger to increase [Read More] | ||
 Normal Caution
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A generally LOW avalanche danger exists across all elevations bands for the Turnagain area. Triggering a slab avalanche is unlikely but not impossible. Identify glide cracks and avoid/limit your exposure time under this unpredictable hazard. Give cornices a wide berth and watch your sluff. GIRDWOOD / PORTAGE / PLACER: North of Turnagain Pass received [Read More] | ||
 Persistent Slabs
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A generally LOW avalanche danger exists in Turnagain Pass at all elevations. Pockets of MODERATE danger exist in the Alpine in zones that saw more snow last week, such as Girdwood, Portage and Placer Valley. In these areas, triggering a slab avalanche up to a foot thick is trending to unlikely, but may still be [Read More] | ||
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Persistent Slabs
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The avalanche danger is MODERATE above 2500′ for slab avalanches 1-2′ thick. Triggering a small slab in isolated terrain or a larger slab that could bury a person is possible on steep slopes. Cornices grew last week and could be triggered by the weight of a person or snowmachine. Identify glide cracks and avoid/limit your [Read More] | ||
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Persistent Slabs
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 Cornice
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The avalanche danger is MODERATE above 2500′ for triggering a slab 1-2′ thick. Slabs may be small and isolated or large enough to bury a person. Cornices have been recently loaded and could be triggered by the weight of a person or snowmachine. Identify glide cracks and avoid/limit your exposure time under this unpredictable hazard. [Read More] | ||
 Wind Slabs
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Persistent Slabs
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The avalanche danger is MODERATE above 2,500′. Wind slabs 1-2′ thick will be possible to trigger on wind-loaded terrain features on all aspects. In addition, glide cracks may release into avalanches; limit/avoid exposure under them. Give cornices a wide berth. SUMMIT LAKE / JOHNSON PASS: Keep in mind buried weak layers exist in the middle [Read More] | ||
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Wind Slabs
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Persistent Slabs
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The avalanche danger is MODERATE above 2,000′. Old wind slabs 1-2′ thick, along with shallow fresh wind slabs less than a foot thick, will be possible to trigger on wind-loaded slopes. In addition, glide cracks may release into avalanches; limit/avoid exposure under them. Give cornices a wide berth. SUMMIT LAKE / JOHNSON PASS: Keep in [Read More] | ||
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Wind Slabs
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Persistent Slabs
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The avalanche danger is MODERATE above 1,500′. Wind slabs 1-2′ thick will be possible to trigger on steep wind-loaded slopes. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully. In addition, glide cracks may release into avalanches; limit/avoid exposure under them. Give cornices a wide berth. SUMMIT LAKE / JOHNSON PASS: Keep in mind buried weak layers exist in [Read More] | ||
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Wind Slabs
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Persistent Slabs
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The avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE on slopes above 1,000′. Human triggered slab avalanches, 1-3′ thick, will be likely and may be triggered remotely in the Alpine and in areas exposed to wind in the Treeline elevation band. Careful snowpack evaluation, cautious route finding and conservative decision-making are essential today. In addition, glide cracks may release [Read More] | ||
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Storm Slabs
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Persistent Slabs
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The avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE on slopes above 1,000′. Natural avalanches due to strong wind and several inches of new snow are possible in the Alpine and in areas exposed to wind in the Treeline. Human triggered slab avalanches, up to a foot thick or more, will be likely and may be triggered remotely. Pay [Read More] | ||
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Wind Slabs
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Persistent Slabs
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Strong winds impacting the region today will cause the avalanche danger to rise to MODERATE at all elevation bands in exposed terrain as triggering a wind slab becomes possible. As these slabs build over the weak surface snow the danger may rise to CONSIDERABLE in the Alpine later in the day. Natural avalanches may become [Read More] | ||
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Wind Slabs
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A generally LOW avalanche danger exists across all elevations bands for the Turnagain area. Low danger does not mean no danger. Watch for wind affected snow where an isolated wind slab may release on a steep terrain feature. Glide cracks are creeping open and may avalanche without warning. Limiting/avoiding exposure under them is prudent. Give [Read More] | ||
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Normal Caution
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A generally LOW avalanche danger exists across all elevations bands for the Turnagain area. Triggering a slab avalanche is unlikely but not impossible. Glide cracks may release into avalanches. Limiting/avoiding exposure under them is prudent. Give cornices a wide berth and watch your sluff. SUMMIT LAKE / JOHNSON PASS / LYNX DRAINAGE: Keep in mind [Read More] | ||
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Normal Caution
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A generally LOW avalanche danger exists across all elevations bands for the Turnagain area. Triggering a slab avalanche is unlikely but not impossible. Glide cracks may release into avalanches. Limiting/avoiding exposure under them is prudent. Give cornices a wide berth and watch your sluff. SUMMIT LAKE / JOHNSON PASS / LYNX DRAINAGE: *** We want [Read More] | ||
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Normal Caution
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A generally LOW avalanche danger exists across all elevations bands for the Turnagain Area. Triggering an avalanche is unlikely but not impossible. Good travel habits, such as exposing one person at a time, watching your partners and grouping up in safe zones are, as always, key ways to minimize risk. Ease onto steep slopes and [Read More] | ||
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Persistent Slabs
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 Glide Avalanches
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The avalanche danger remains MODERATE above 1,000′. Triggering a slab avalanche 2-3′ thick is still possible. Wind affected terrain in the Alpine is the most suspect. Glide cracks are opening and have been avalanching during this cold snap. This is the time to avoid being under cracks. As always, give cornices a wide berth and [Read More] | ||
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Persistent Slabs
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Glide Avalanches
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The avalanche danger remains MODERATE above 1,000′. Finding and triggering a slab avalanche 2-3′ thick is becoming less likely but still possible; most suspect areas are higher elevations that have seen prior wind effect. Second, glide cracks (brown cracks in the snow) are opening and avalanching during this cold snap. This is the time to [Read More] | ||
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Persistent Slabs
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Glide Avalanches
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The avalanche danger remains MODERATE in the Alpine and Treeline zones. Triggering a slab avalanche 2-3′ thick is still possible due to a weak layer buried by the New Year’s storm. Natural glide avalanches are also possible today, limit/avoid exposure under glide cracks. Cornices are large, don’t forget to give them a wide berth as [Read More] | ||
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Persistent Slabs
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Glide Avalanches
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The avalanche danger is MODERATE in the Alpine and Treeline zones for Turnagain Pass. Triggering a slab avalanche 2-3′ thick is possible and could be large enough to bury or kill a person. Natural glide avalanches are possible today and could release without warning. Give cornices a wide berth and avoid being under glide cracks. [Read More] | ||
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Wind Slabs
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Glide Avalanches
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The avalanche danger is MODERATE in the Alpine and Treeline zones for triggering a large slab 2+’ thick in steep terrain. Give cornices a wide berth and avoid being under glide cracks. Natural glide avalanches are possible today and could release without warning. There is LOW avalanche danger below 1000′ where a surface crust has [Read More] | ||
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Storm Slabs
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Glide Avalanches
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The avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE above 1000′ where triggering a slab 2-4′ thick is likely on slopes steeper than 35 degrees. Give cornices a wide berth and avoid being under glide cracks. Natural glide avalanches are possible today and could release without warning. Cautious route-finding and conservative decision making are essential. A MODERATE avalanche danger [Read More] | ||
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Storm Slabs
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Glide Avalanches
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Hurricane force wind plus another foot of new snow overnight has brought the avalanche danger to HIGH in the Alpine. Natural storm snow avalanches 2-4′ thick are likely while this second storm hits. The avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE in the treeline and below treeline band where natural storm snow avalanches may occur and human triggered [Read More] | ||
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Storm Slabs
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Glide Avalanches
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Strong winds and new snow have created dangerous avalanche conditions. The avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE at all elevations today. Triggering a large slab avalanche 1-3′ feet thick will be likely on slopes steeper than 30 degrees and natural avalanches are possible. Cautious route-finding and conservative decision-making are essential today. Avoid travel under cornices and glide [Read More] | ||
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Storm Slabs
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Glide Avalanches
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Strong wind with snowfall today, plus heavy snowfall tonight, will increase the avalanche danger to CONSIDERABLE through the day and may reach HIGH danger by early tomorrow morning. Wind slabs are forming now and may release naturally and storm snow avalanches will become likely once snowfall rates pick up. Timing for naturally occurring avalanches depends [Read More] | ||
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Wind Slabs
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Glide Avalanches
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The avalanche danger is MODERATE above treeline where increased winds last night may have formed sensitive wind slabs on lee aspects. Any fresh wind slab found is likely to be soft and shallow, yet could be easy to trigger. Cornices are still a concern and likely grew with last night’s wind. Glide cracks are moving! [Read More] |