Hatcher Pass
Above 3,500ft None
2,500 to 3,500ft None
Below 2,500ftNone
Degrees of Avalanche Danger
Avalanche Activity
There was a very active avalanche cycle last weekend:
- A snowboarder remote triggered a large wet slab avalanche on the SE aspect of Skyscraper at 4300’ at about 11:45 am Saturday. Debris from this slide came very close to the snowmachine trail to the west side of Hatcher Pass.
- A skier reported remote triggering a small wet slab avalanche on the S aspect of Hatch Peak on Sunday.
- Many large natural wet slab avalanches, most gouging down to ground, have been observed last weekend and early this week. The majority of these slides have been on or under S to W aspect rocky areas.
- Many small to large natural wet loose avalanches, many gouging down to ground have been observed last weekend and early this week. The majority of these slides have been on or under S to W aspect rocky areas. Some of these triggered large wet loose avalanches below.
- No new cornice triggered avalanches have been observed this week, but cornices are weakening as temperatures increase, and are always unpredictable despite the temperature.
For more details and photos, please see observations.
Weather
Weather History
Weather at 3450′ since Saturday 3/30:
Temperatures averaged 31°F, with a low of 16°F and a high of 47°F.
Winds averaged N 4 mph, max 9 mph. Max gusts recorded were N 13 mph .
There has been no new snow recorded at Independence Mine.
Weather at 4500′ since Saturday 3/30:
Temperatures averaged 29°F, with a low of 14°F and a high of 40°F.
Winds averaged ENE-ESE 4 mph, max 16 mph. Gusts averaged E 9 mph, max gust 36 mph.
Forecast Weather
Stay tuned to the NOAA point forecast for an updated weather forecast each day. The best way to see if it’s snowing in Hatcher Pass is to look at the webcam snow stake HERE and the Independence Mine SNOTEL site HERE
State Parks Snow Report and Motorized Access information can be found here.
Alerts
Get the full summary HERE.
Announcements
This information is a Conditions Update. Danger ratings are only issued with avalanches advisories. The next avalanche advisory is scheduled for Saturday April 6, 2019.
Previous avalanche advisories HERE
MIDWEEK SNOW AND AVALANCHE CONDITIONS SUMMARY FOR APRIL 4, 2019
It is possible for large cornices to fail naturally or for a human or dog to trigger them. Cornice-triggered avalanches have the potential to trigger larger sluffs or slab avalanches that may fail in deeper weak layers. After a week of clear skies and unseasonably warm temperatures, much colder temperatures will have the snowpack locked up under firm crusts on sunny, E to W aspects today, and human triggered avalanches will be unlikely.
There was a very active avalanche cycle last weekend. A snowboarder remote triggered a large wet slab avalanche on the SE aspect of Skyscraper at 4300’ at about 11:45 am Saturday. Debris from this slide came very close to the snowmachine trail to the west side of Hatcher Pass. A skier reported remote triggering a small wet slab avalanche on the S aspect of Hatch Peak on Sunday. Many large natural wet slab avalanches, most gouging down to ground, have been observed last weekend and early this week. The majority of these slides have been on or under S to W aspect rocky areas. No new cornice triggered avalanches have been observed this week, but cornices are weakening as temperatures increase, and are always unpredictable despite the temperature.
Hatcher Pass has received abundant sunshine, above-freezing ridge top temperatures through Tuesday, and no new precipitation this week. Shaded aspects are still harboring faceted powder, but it’s becoming more and more difficult to find. Cooler temperatures will keep the snow firm on sunny aspects today. When warmer temperatures return this weekend, corn harvesting can be found on lower angle E to W slopes at mid to upper elevations early in the day before slopes heat up. At lower elevations the snow is an impenetrable melt-freeze crust early in the morning and isothermal slop in the afternoon, causing snowmachines and skis to trench easily.
Got 5 minutes? Take the short survey in the link below to help researchers at University of Alaska Southeast and Alaska Pacific University who are investigating who, how, and where Alaskans travel in the backcountry.