Hatcher Pass

Numerous dry loose sluffs were observed earlier in the week after 4+” of new snow on the 12-13th.  See pics and info HERE.

The mighty Matanuska winds averaged E/NE 24 mph, gusting E/NE 19-40 mph at 4500′ on the 15th and 16th, forming wind slabs on a variety of aspects at mid and upper elevations. Several small natural slabs, 2-10″ deep, were observed on the 15th and 16th.

1/15-16 – Marmot, Rae Wallace, North, 4500´, small natural slab avalanche

1/15-16 – Marmot, Southeast, 3500′, Cross-loaded feature, small natural slab avalanche

1/15-16 – Marmot, Southwest face, 3900, small slab avalanche in gut of gully.

1/15-16 – Marmot, Southwest face, 4150´, adjacent to “mid-rib”, large natural avalanche.

1/15-16 – Pinnacle shoulder, West, 5800´, small natural slab avalanche

1/15-16 – Skyscraper, North, 4200´, Small natural slab avalanche

Persistent slabs will be stubborn, but possible to trigger today at mid and upper elevation on a variety of aspects. They will generally be 2-6″ thick, failing on weaker snow.

Shooting cracks, hollow sounding snow, stiffer snow overlying weaker snow, and recent avalanches are bulls eye clues for identifying this problem.

Yesterday/Friday – Upper Willow Creek, Bullion Mountain, SE, 4200´. We witnessed a snow machine trigger a small slab mid-slope. This was consistent with what we observed throughout our tour on Friday. We observed numerous recent natural small slab avalanches on a variety of aspects. We were able to trigger, stubborn, small, and thin slabs in specific locations.

Moderate northeast to east winds, with sustained strong wind gusts up to 40 mph, on January 15th and 16th, scoured windward aspects and deposited wind drifted snow on leeward aspects, generally southwest to west aspects, and cross loaded features. While most of the avalanche problem is located at the upper elevation ridgelines and starting zones, there are plenty of persistent slabs located on cross loaded features, at mid-elevation, and mid-slope.

Anticipate slabs to be thicker, up to 1 foot deep, and larger in isolated areas near the Arkose ridgeline. In these locations we have no recent boots-on-the-ground field observations, but we did observe higher wind speeds and more steady flagging in this area from afar. We have seen more natural activity of similar size to the East of the road system, near Delia Creek. We also verified stronger winds through the Matanuska River Valley, which helps to corroborate this hypothesis.

Numerous natural slab avalanches released on January 15th and 16th. Since then, winds have diminished and the avalanche problem has been slowly stabilizing. We expect this hazard to linger through the weekend, while stability continues to slowly increase.

Due to plentiful snow this season and recent strong wind, cornices are overhanging and large.

Cornices are difficult to predict the timing of natural release. There have already been a few releases this season involving people and old cornice debris and large chunks are present at the base of some slopes. If traveling under cornices, limit the time of your exposure. If you are approaching cornices from behind, use extreme caution, gain a safe viewpoint to identify safe entries onto slopes below, and do not step out on overhanging cornice features.

Cornice failures may be large, and the mass of a cornice may be large enough to injure or kill a person. Cornices may also entrain more snow and trigger additional avalanche types, which could compound the hazard.

Cornices are large, overhanging and hungry. This one overhangs the Pinnopsicle, North Coulior of Pinnacle, and is trying to eat all of the Talkeetnas.