Turnagain Pass Archives

Date	Rating	Problem #1	Problem #2	The Bottom Line
Sat, March 19th, 2016		Storm Slabs	Glide Avalanches	The avalanche danger is MODERATE in the mid elevation band between 1000′-3000′ where glide cracks continue to release naturally and without warning. Today the avalanche danger in the Alpine will increase from LOW to MODERATE by late morning as new snow and winds arrive in our region.  Chose your routes wisely to avoid glide cracks, [Read More]
Fri, March 18th, 2016		Glide Avalanches	Normal Caution	The avalanche danger is  MODERATE  in the mid elevation band between 1000′-3000′ where glide cracks continue to release naturally and without warning. In the Alpine, a generally  LOW  avalanche danger exists, but due to the glide problem below terrain choices remain limited. Chose your routes wisely to avoid glide cracks, and be on the lookout [Read More]
Thu, March 17th, 2016		Glide Avalanches	Normal Caution	The avalanche danger is MODERATE in the mid elevation band between 1000′-3000′ where glide cracks continue to release naturally and without warning. In the Alpine, a generally LOW avalanche danger exists, but due to the glide problem below terrain choices remain limited. Chose your routes wisely to avoid glide cracks, and be on the lookout [Read More]
Wed, March 16th, 2016		Glide Avalanches	Normal Caution	Heightened avalanche conditions exist below about 3,000′ where the avalanche danger is  MODERATE.   Glide cracks have been very active this week, producing large and destructive avalanches in mid-elevation terrain and some have run into low elevation snow free zones. In areas not affected by glide cracks (above ~3,000′) there is a generally  LOW  avalanche [Read More]
Tue, March 15th, 2016		Glide Avalanches	Normal Caution	Heightened avalanche conditions exist below about 3,000′ where the avalanche danger is MODERATE.   Glide cracks have been active this week, producing large and destructive avalanches in mid-elevation terrain.   In areas not effected by glide cracks (above ~3,000′) there is a generally LOW avalanche danger.   In certain areas, it’ll take some methodical route [Read More]
Mon, March 14th, 2016		Glide Avalanches	Normal Caution	The avalanche danger is MODERATE below 3000′ where glide cracks continue to release naturally and without warning. Above the glide cracks, in the Alpine, a generally LOW avalanche danger exists. This is an unusual and tricky set-up because there are many places where glide cracks threaten a lot of mid elevation terrain and moving around [Read More]
Sun, March 13th, 2016		Wind Slabs	Glide Avalanches	The avalanche danger is MODERATE today above 1000′. Human triggered wind slabs and wet loose avalanches will be possible on solar aspects where radiation from the sun will be weakening the snow. On shaded aspects triggering a wind slab and dry loose snow will be possible on slopes steeper than 35 °.   Glide cracks [Read More]
Sat, March 12th, 2016		Storm Slabs	Glide Avalanches	There is a CONSIDERABLE avalanche hazard today above 1,000′ where upwards of a foot of new snow has fallen with strong winds. A variety of avalanche problems are out there and the one most likely to impact a person are fresh wind slabs 1-2′ thick. These slabs are likely to be triggered by a person [Read More]
Fri, March 11th, 2016		Wind Slabs	Glide Avalanches	The avalanche danger is  MODERATE  today above 1000′. Glide cracks continue to release naturally and without warning and threaten a lot of mid-elevation terrain. Identify slopes with glide cracks and avoid being within the runout of a glide. Changing conditions today in the Alpine will make it possible to trigger fresh wind slabs and loose [Read More]
Thu, March 10th, 2016		Glide Avalanches	Normal Caution	The avalanche danger is MODERATE today above 1000′. Glide cracks continue to release naturally and without warning and threaten a lot of mid-elevation terrain. Indentify slopes with glide cracks and avoid being within the runout of a glide. General caution is advised for the alpine where wind slabs, loose snow, and large cornices should be [Read More]
Wed, March 9th, 2016		Glide Avalanches	Wind Slabs	The avalanche hazard is  MODERATE  today above 1,000′.  Glide cracks continue to release and threaten a substantial amount of terrain frequented by skiers and snowmachiners in the mid-elevations. Time to say it again as we in are in active glide cycle, ‘DON’T MESS WITH THE BROWN FROWN!’ In the Alpine, surface instabilities such as shallow [Read More]
Tue, March 8th, 2016		Glide Avalanches	Wind Slabs	The avalanche hazard is MODERATE today above 1,000′.   Glide cracks continue to pose a very real and serious threat to a substantial amount of terrain frequented by skiers and snowmachiners in the mid-elevations.   Above treeline, surface instabilities such as shallow wind slabs and loose snow sluffing make up the secondary concern today. Cornices [Read More]
Mon, March 7th, 2016		Wind Slabs	Glide Avalanches	There is a MODERATE avalanche danger today at the Alpine elevations for shallow wind slabs, sluffs and cornice falls. Wind slabs 6-12″ thick may be found just off ridgelines. These could be lingering slabs or fresh slabs from today. At the mid-elevations, the danger is LOW where triggering an avalanche is unlikely. However, there are [Read More]
Sun, March 6th, 2016		Dry Loose	Glide Avalanches	The avalanche danger is  MODERATE  today in Turnagain Pass for loose snow avalanches, wind slabs, glide avalanches and cornice fall. Triggering an isolated wind slab or loose snow avalanche is possible in steep terrain following 6 € of new snow that fell yesterday. Give glide cracks and cornices lots of space as they can release [Read More]
Sat, March 5th, 2016		Wind Slabs	Glide Avalanches	A MODERATE avalanche danger exists in the Turnagain Pass area today for wind slab avalanches, glide avalanches and cornice falls. Watch for fresh wind slabs to be forming in the 3-5″ of new snow expected with moderate to strong winds. These slabs are likely to be around 6-10″ thick and forming at the upper elevations. [Read More]
Fri, March 4th, 2016		Glide Avalanches	Cornice	Overall generally stable avalanche conditions exist in the advisory area but with the widespread glide cracks in popular recreation terrain in the  Treeline (1000′-2500′) elevation band and the possibility of triggering a large cornice fall in the Alpine, the hazard remains at MODERATE.  In addition, lingering pockets of wind slab and loose snow avalanches may [Read More]
Thu, March 3rd, 2016		Cornice	Wind Slabs	The avalanche danger is MODERATE today in Turnagain Pass for cornice fall, lingering wind slabs, and glide avalanches. Triggering a large cornice or an old wind slab 1-2′ is possible today and will become more of a concern throughout the day as the sun adds stress to solar aspects. Glide cracks continue to open up [Read More]
Wed, March 2nd, 2016		Wind Slabs	Cornice	The avalanche danger is MODERATE in the Turnagain Pass area today for slab avalanches, cornice falls and glide avalanches. It will be possible for people/snowmachines to trigger slabs 1-2′ thick at elevations above 1,000′. These are most likely on the steep sunlit slopes, more than 35 degrees. Cornice falls are possible as well, and could [Read More]
Tue, March 1st, 2016		Storm Slabs	Glide Avalanches	Avalanche Danger in the Alpine and treeline elevations (above 1,000′) is CONSIDERABLE today given a multitude of different avalanche problems currently present.   As this 9-day storm begins to wrap up today we have very little data from the alpine.   What data we do have, points toward a snowpack with some potential mid-storm weaknesses [Read More]
Mon, February 29th, 2016		Storm Slabs	Glide Avalanches	The avalanche danger for Alpine and Treeline (above 1000′) is CONSIDERABLE. This means  human  triggered avalanches are likely on slopes 30 degrees and steeper and natural avalanches are still possible. Cornices are huge and could fall, glide cracks are still releasing and storm snow/wet snow avalanches remain concerns. All of these avalanche problems will be [Read More]
Sun, February 28th, 2016		Wet Loose	Storm Slabs	The avalanche danger for Alpine and Treeline (above 1000′) has increased to HIGH again due to heavy precipitation and an unstable wet snowpack. Large natural wet avalanches and glide avalanches are likely today. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended until the snowpack has had time to drain. Avoid slopes 30 degrees and steeper, including [Read More]
Sat, February 27th, 2016		Storm Slabs	Glide Avalanches	A CONSIDERABLE  avalanche danger remains at all elevations above 1,000′. This means  human  triggered avalanches are likely on slopes 30 degrees and steeper and natural avalanches are still possible. Cornices are huge and could fall, glide cracks are still releasing and storm snow/wet snow avalanches remain concerns. Elevated caution is recommended. Very cautious route finding [Read More]
Fri, February 26th, 2016		Storm Slabs	Wet Loose	The avalanche danger in the Treeline and Alpine elevation bands is CONSIDERABLE today. This means human triggered avalanches are likely on slopes 30 degrees and steeper and natural avalanches are still possible. Cornices are huge, glide cracks are releasing and wet snow is a concern. Elevated caution is recommended. Very cautious route finding and conservative [Read More]
Thu, February 25th, 2016		Storm Slabs	Glide Avalanches	The avalanche danger for Alpine and Treeline (above 1000′) will remain HIGH today due to recent rapid loading, above freezing temperatures and the possibility of sun. Very dangerous avalanche conditions exist as a result of strong winds, 4′ of new snow and a saturated snowpack below 1500′. This set-up is primed for human triggered avalanches. [Read More]
Wed, February 24th, 2016		Storm Slabs	Wet Loose	Another storm is impacting the advisory area this morning. Strong winds, new snow and the potential for rain to fall up to 1800′ have combined to make the avalanche hazard HIGH. Natural and human triggered avalanches are likely. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended. Avoid slopes 30 degrees and steeper, including runout areas in [Read More]