Turnagain Pass Archives
| Date | Rating | Problem #1 | Problem #2 | The Bottom Line |
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 Wet Loose
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 Wind Slabs
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The avalanche danger remains CONSIDERABLE today. Warm and wet weather continues, making wet loose avalanches likely at and below treeline, with wind slab avalanches likely at higher elevations. Be careful with your terrain choices today, and be aware that even a small wet loose avalanche can have serious consequences if you get carried through trees, rocks, or [Read More] | ||
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Wet Loose
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Wind Slabs
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The avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE at all elevations. Warm stormy weather is bringing rain up to 3,000′ in places and creating wet snow avalanche concerns for the mountains. Along the highest ridgelines snow is falling with strong winds, creating a wind slab avalanche issue. Both naturally occurring wet avalanches and wind slab avalanches are possible [Read More] | ||
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Wet Loose
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 Persistent Slabs
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The avalanche danger is MODERATE at all elevations. Due to the warm weather and rain, wet snow avalanches will be possible to trigger on slopes from sea level up to around 2,500′. Watch for soggy wet snow on steep terrain features. In the high elevations where dry snow exists, it will be possibly to trigger [Read More] | ||
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Wind Slabs
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Persistent Slabs
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Today’s avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE above 2500′. Precipitation and strong winds starting this morning will increase the likelihood of natural and human triggered avalanches. Wind slabs 1-2′ deep along ridgelines and convex features in exposed terrain are likely. At higher elevations larger persistent avalanches 3-4′ deep releasing on a layer of weak snow at the [Read More] | ||
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Persistent Slabs
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The avalanche danger is MODERATE above 1000′. A slow pattern shift is underway, but the weather should remain quiet during the day today and our main concern is the lingering possibility of triggering a large avalanche on two different layers of weak snow. One is a layer of surface hoar buried about a foot deep, and the [Read More] | ||
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Persistent Slabs
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The avalanche danger remains MODERATE above 1000′ today. There is a lingering chance of triggering a large avalanche failing near the ground on weak snow buried around 3-4′ deep, and the odds of finding a dangerous setup increase at higher elevations. There are also isolated slopes harboring a weak layer of buried surface hoar that may produce [Read More] | ||
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Persistent Slabs
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Wind Slabs
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The avalanche danger remains MODERATE above 1000′. Large human triggered avalanches are still possible at the high elevations, above 3000′. These could be 3-4′ deep and releasing near the ground. There is also evidence of a weak layer around a foot deep that could produce avalanches in areas without wind effect. In areas with wind [Read More] | ||
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Persistent Slabs
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Wind Slabs
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Today’s avalanche danger is MODERATE above 1000′. Above 3000′, there’s a risk of triggering a large avalanche up to 3-4′ deep on a persistent weak layer near the ground. Additionally, smaller 1′ deep wind slabs could be human triggered or release naturally in exposed areas near ridgelines and convex terrain features. Below 1000′, the avalanche [Read More] | ||
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November 15 UPDATE Wind and snow return to Southcentral 24 hour predicted snow totals through tomorrow morning. Graphic courtesy of NWS Anchorage, 11.15.2023 We’re looking at another round of active weather, but this time it is looking like wind will be the biggest player. After Monday’s snow and outflow winds, we had a break in the [Read More] | ||
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November 13 UPDATE Active weather this week This morning’s storm is expected to favor Anchorage and Girdwood over Turnagain Pass and the eastern Kenai. Heavy snowfall will be immediately followed by strong northerly winds. Graphic courtesy of NWS Anchorage, 11.13.2023. Stormy weather has returned to Southcentral this morning, and avalanche danger will be on the [Read More] | ||
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November 12 UPDATE DANGEROUS AVALANCHE CONDITIONS above 3,000′ A large avalanche was triggered by a skier (second skier on slope) at 4,000′ in elevation on Goldpan at Turnagain Pass on Saturday, Nov 11th. Skier is OK, able to ski off slab. This avalanche triggered a much larger slab in adjacent terrain. This is bulls eye [Read More] | ||
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November 7 UPDATE Avalanche Danger is Expected to Rise The first potent winter storm of 2023/24 looks to hit Wednesday, Nov 8th. HEADS UP! Large avalanches should begin to release on their own as the storm peaks Wednesday. In the following days, it’s hard to know how quickly the new snow will stabilize, so keep [Read More] | ||
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Fall 2023 has arrived Today, September 23rd, officially marks the first day of fall and with that we’d like to announce some upcoming events and early season avalanche reminders. See below! Upcoming Events: Oct 24, 8:15pm- Snow Stories 5.0 – Annual BearTooth Avalanche Center Fundraiser! Get stoked for the winter with the Friends of the [Read More] | ||
 Spring Conditions
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[Read More] | ||
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Things are slowly warming up as we continue this gradual transition into spring. We received another 2-4″ of dense snow this week near Girdwood and Turnagain Pass, which wasn’t really enough to make for any major avalanche concerns. For now, we are starting to approach the mountains with a springtime diurnal mindset. This means we [Read More] | ||
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We are in the midst of a slow transition into a warm, wet, springtime snowpack. Over the past few days we have noticed supportable crusts on all aspects, including up to at least 2500’ on northerly slopes. We are also continuing to note natural avalanche activity on the slopes that get the most sun (south, [Read More] | ||
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Persistent Slabs
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Wet Loose
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The avalanche danger will start out MODERATE and rise to CONSIDERABLE above 2500′ as strong winds pick up this afternoon. On northerly aspects there is a buried weak layer of facets about 1-2′ deep that could become more sensitive to human triggers in areas being actively wind loaded. From 2500′ to 1000′ the avalanche danger is MODERATE. Temperatures reaching [Read More] | ||
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Persistent Slabs
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Wet Loose
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The avalanche danger is MODERATE above 1000′. It is possible a person will be able to trigger an avalanche up to 1-2′ deep where new snow from the past week is sitting on top of weaker facets, especially where it has been blown into a stiffer wind slab. It will also be possible to trigger wet [Read More] | ||
 Storm Slabs
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 Deep Persistent Slabs
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The avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE above 2500′. Avalanches failing at the interface of the new snow and old snow surface up to 2′ deep are likely for human triggering today. On northern aspects at upper elevations these new snow avalanches could be larger due to a buried weak layer of facets. Deeper buried weak layers 3-6′ [Read More] | ||
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Storm Slabs
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Deep Persistent Slabs
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The avalanche danger is expected to rise to CONSIDERABLE above 2500′ as strong winds and sustained snowfall pick up this afternoon. Human triggered avalanches a foot deep or deeper will become likely, with natural avalanches possible. The most dangerous conditions will be found on wind-loaded slopes. Be on the lookout for increasing danger today through tomorrow, and [Read More] | ||
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Deep Persistent Slabs
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The avalanche danger remains MODERATE at all elevations. A few inches of new snow and cooler temperatures should limit wet snow avalanches on slopes above 1,000. However, fresh small wind slabs could form on slick crusts in the higher elevations. Additionally, on steep north facing slopes with dry snow there remains the unlikely chance a [Read More] | ||
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Deep Persistent Slabs
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The avalanche danger is MODERATE at all elevations. Cooler temperatures and cloud cover should make wet avalanches less likely than yesterday, but they are still possible in the afternoon especially at lower elevations and on steep south and west facing terrain. The snowpack remains dry and cold above treeline on north facing slopes, and the potential for [Read More] | ||
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Deep Persistent Slabs
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Wet Loose
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The avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE above 2500′. Large human triggered avalanches releasing in deeply buried weak layers 3-6′ deep are possible. Consequences of being involved in an avalanche this size are severe so we recommend conservative terrain selection if you are accessing upper elevation northerly slopes. Wet loose avalanches are likely to release naturally later [Read More] | ||
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Wet Loose
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The avalanche danger remains MODERATE at all elevations for today and tomorrow. Wet loose avalanches, and even some small slabs, are possible in the warmth of the day on all aspects below 2,500′ and on sunlit slopes in the high terrain. Lingering wind slabs may also be triggered in steep shady terrain at the high [Read More] | ||
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Wet Loose
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Wind Slabs
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A MODERATE avalanche danger exists at all elevations today and into tomorrow. Loose wet avalanches releasing naturally as the sun melts surface crusts will be likely. These are often small but can become larger on big steep slopes or if they trigger a slab, creating more debris. For those hunting dry snow in high elevation [Read More] |
Below are archived forecasts for the past 5 seasons with the highest danger rating and Avalanche Problem 1 displayed in the chart. Click on a table cell to read the forecast for that day. Alternatively you can view this page for 10 seasons of data plus embedded observations from that day.