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Spring Hiking Comes with Hidden Avalanche Danger

This avalanche in the Girdwood Valley took out a 20-foot section of the Beaver Pond trail in 2022. 04.26.2022

As spring arrives in Southcentral Alaska, longer days and melting snow are drawing people back onto hiking trails in anticipation of summer. While trailheads may look clear and inviting, the surrounding mountains are still holding winter snow—and with it, ongoing avalanche danger that many hikers don’t expect this time of year.

One of the biggest hazards during spring is not just traveling on steep slopes, but traveling below them. Many popular summer trails pass directly beneath avalanche paths. As temperatures warm, the snowpack weakens and avalanches can release naturally, running all the way to valley bottoms and across trails that appear dry and safe. These avalanches can carry heavy, wet snow capable of burying a person, even far from where the slide started.

This means that hiking on trails below avalanche terrain is dangerous and not recommended during the spring transition. Even without recent snowfall, warming temperatures alone can trigger avalanches—especially in the afternoon hours or on sunny slopes. These conditions can change quickly throughout the day, making timing and awareness critical.

Several well-known trails in the region are particularly exposed to avalanche paths, including:

• Chugach State Park: Powerline Pass, Flattop
• Girdwood Valley: Crow Pass Trail, Beaver Pond Trail, Bird to Gird
• Portage Valley: Byron Glacier Trail and Trail of Blue Ice
• Summit & Cooper Landing: Russian Lakes Trail to Barber Cabin, north entrance of Johnson Pass Trail, Crescent Lake Trail, Ptarmigan Lake Trail, and Victor Creek Trail
• Seward: Marathon Jeep Trail

If you’re heading out, it’s important to recognize that “spring hiking conditions” at the trailhead don’t reflect what’s happening above. Avalanches can release without warning and travel farther than expected. Choosing trails that are not exposed to avalanche paths, starting early in the day, and staying aware of overhead terrain are key steps to reducing risk.

Spring is a beautiful time to be in the mountains, but it’s also a time of rapid change. Taking avalanche hazard into account, even on familiar hiking trails, is an essential part of getting out safely.

Avalanche in motion over the Byron Glacier Trail, 05.11.2025.