| Trigger | Natural | Remote Trigger | No |
| Avalanche Type | Soft Slab | Aspect | Southeast |
| Elevation | 4400ft | Slope Angle | unknown |
| Crown Depth | unknown | Width | unknown |
| Vertical Run | unknown |
Avalanche: Hatcher Pass
Location: Martin Mine/Eldorado Bowl/Independence Mine
We went for a blustery tour to assess active wind transport of low density snow. We witnessed a few small natural avalanches occur as well as intensionally triggering a small wind slab on a steep side wall gully feature. Winds have transformed the landscape at Hatcher Pass and finding protected pockets of powder will be more challenging.
Avalanche Details
We watched a natural wind slab in Martin Mine that sympathetically triggered a secondary adjacent small wind slab. Within 20 minutes due to significant wind transport both of these avalanches were blown in and debris quickly became unrecognizable as a recent avalanche. Less than an hour later we watched another natural wind slab release on a small loaded ESE aspect at 3800' between Eldorado and Martin Mine. On our descent we stepped on some steep terrain features and triggered a small wind slab near the creek just north of the IM parking lot.
Obvious signs of instability
| Recent Avalanches? | Yes |
| Collapsing (Whumphing)? | Yes |
| Cracking (Shooting cracks)? | Yes |
Observer Comments
We observed significant cracking, collapsing and recent avalanches on our tour.
Weather
Active wind transport from strong ENE winds was loading and crossloading SE to SW aspects above 3500' during our tour. Plumes and flagging were intermittent but strong on nearby peaks but not nearly as intense as observed across the valley in the Chugach. Winds were reported gusting E 30-36 mph on Marmot at 4500' during our tour and were more accurately like 40-50 mph gusts from East to North to Northwest. Unfortunately wind speeds were not reporting on Hatch.
Temperatures in the teens felt balmy during any calm reprieve from the wind however, single digits and below zero wind chill was observed during intermittent periods with strong and extreme wind gusts.
Snow surface
Recystalized soft powder was observed in protected locations and low elevation. Above 3500' new snow from 1/14-15 has been transported by the wind, scouring windward locations, loading and cross-loading mostly SE to SW aspects while forming wind ripples, scalloping, sastrugi, and building wind slabs. New wind slabs were 1-4" thick in most locations and up to 10" thick in isolated locations.
1/17 Flagging on Hatch ridge on Wednesday at 4500'
1/17 The Powder Pimple needs a new name
1/17 Flagging and wind sculpting on Eldorado and Skyscraper
1/17 Debris from recent wind slab in Lower Eldorado that was filled in within an hour
1/17 Flagging was observed on all ridges on Wednesday
1/17 Natural wind slab and sluffs near Vice Presidents SW 3500'
1/17 Shallow small wind slab near Marmot Lodge run SW 3400'
1/17 Naturals up Archangel, location unknown
1/17 Natural small wind slab between Eldorado and Martin Mine SE 3800'
1/17 Debris from human triggered wind slab, Willow side NW 4400'
1/17 Human triggered wind slab, Willow side NW 4400'. This avalanche was triggered by an intentional ski cut. No one was caught or carried. It was approximately 4-6" deep, slow moving and ran 1000'.
1/17 Idaho Peak wind slab and sluffs S 4000'