We rode the Placer area today, spending most of the day working hard to get above the rain crust from the Christmas storm. We found a stout (3″ thick) crust up to around 2000′ elevation, and saw evidence of a very widespread storm avalanche cycle from over the weekend. This included multiple avalanches that were  [ Read More ]

A ver large wet slab seen on the westerly aspect of Bryon Glacier valley (above the popular summer ice caves). Debris likely ran over the caves and into the valley floor. Additional photos of a large wet slab/glide combo on the east face of Pyramid Pk seen from the Seward highway near the Portage Curve.  [ Read More ]

Heavy rain below 2,500′ and snowfall above that in the Girdwood and Portage Valley area during May 9 and 10th has created a natural wet snow avalanche cycle. Continued stormy weather is expected May 11 and 12th. Natural avalanche activity is expected to continue during the storm and even afterward during warm days. Thanks to  [ Read More ]

We snowmachined from Whittier, over Whittier Glacier, Burns Glacier, to the icefield directly east of Carpathian Peak above 4000′ feeding into Spencer, Northland & Blackstone. There was cold dense powder above 2500′ on north-ish aspects of the Whittier. The Burns was melting slush at 2000′ by the time we got there at 1130am. Snow improved  [ Read More ]

Recent widespread natural avalanche cycle observed while touring from Blackstone Bay. Some slides ran mid-storm, but others had distinct, sharp, fresh edges. As noted previously by Graham, extensive wet avalanches, but also noticed many large (up to D3) dry snow avalanches on shady alpine aspects. As mentioned by CNFAIC staff, many large avalanches also occurred  [ Read More ]