Hatcher Pass
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The Bottom Line
The avalanche danger is MODERATE for lingering wind slabs on southeast through west aspects above 2500 ft. Below 2500 ft the avalanche danger is LOW.
This week’s wind event changed conditions in many locations from epic powder to the more familiar variable conditions Hatcher is famous for.
Terrain protected from the wind will be the best and most enjoyable riding today.
Another short pulse of strong wind combined with cold temperatures is forecasted for Saturday evening through Sunday.
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| Sun, January 21st, 2024 |
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| Travel Advice | Generally safe avalanche conditions. Watch for unstable snow on isolated terrain features. | Heightened avalanche conditions on specific terrain features. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully; identify features of concern. | Dangerous avalanche conditions. Careful snowpack evaluation, cautious route-finding, and conservative decision-making essential. | Very dangerous avalanche conditions. Travel in avalanche terrain not recommended. | Extraordinarily dangerous avalanche conditions. Avoid all avalanche terrain. |
| Likelihood of Avalanches | Natural and human-triggered avalanches unlikely. | Natural avalanches unlikely; human-triggered avalanches possible. | Natural avalanches possible; human-triggered avalanches likely. | Natural avalanches likely; human-triggered avalanches very likely. | Natural and human-triggered avalanches certain. |
| Avalanche Size and Distribution | Small avalanches in isolated areas or extreme terrain. | Small avalanches in specific areas; or large avalanches in isolated areas. | Small avalanches in many areas; or large avalanches in specific areas; or very large avalanches in isolated areas. | Large avalanches in many areas; or very large avalanches in specific areas. | Very large avalanches in many areas. |
One human triggered slab avalanche was reported up Archangel in Goodhope Basin on Friday. Observation and more details here.
The bulk of the avalanche activity this week occurred on Wednesday with numerous small natural wind slabs and small to large loose dry avalanches. See observations here.
1/19 Human triggered Wind Slab avalanche on West aspect at 5000 ft SS-AR-R1-D1-I
1/19 Slab avalanche up Archangel Valley
1/19 Pinnacle Valley, Archangel side W 4700′
Naturals, SW 3500′ likely occurred 1/17
1/19 Snow sculpted surfaces on lower Eldorado from Wednesday’s wind 3700′
1/19 Scoured ridges and wind loaded gullies exist on the east face of Skyscraper 4000′
Old wind slabs and sluffs from 1/17 up Archangel SW 4000′
| Signal Word | Size (D scale) | Simple Descriptor |
| Small | 1 | Unlikely to bury a person |
| Large | 2 | Can bury a person |
| Very Large | 3 | Can destroy a house |
| Historic | 4 & 5 | Can destroy part or all of a village |
Expect lingering wind slabs up to 10″ deep to be possible to human trigger at mid and upper elevation, near ridgelines and cross loaded features, on southeast to west aspects (clockwise) on slopes 35º and steeper. Wind slabs have been soft and trending from reactive to stubborn over the last couple days. Although unlikely, it will be possible for a wind slab to step down into deeper persistent weak layers (sugary snow) up to 2 feet deep in isolated or extreme terrain. These avalanches will be small to large in size. Natural avalanches are unlikely.
Weather earlier in the week brought strong wind on Wednesday and moderate winds on Thursday that built wind slabs, mostly 1 to 4 inches thick. Fortunately, winds were less intense than forecasted and resulted in a short lived avalanche cycle but still capable of affecting riding quality due to the amount of low density snow from 1/13-14 that was available for transport. The majority of avalanche activity was observed on Wednesday with numerous natural small wind slabs.
A wind slab avalanche was triggered on Friday that caught and carried a person and potentially stepped down, failing in deeper weak layers 1 to 2 ft deep.
1/19 Human triggered Wind Slab avalanche on West aspect at 5000 ft SS-AR-R1-D1-I . An adjacent natural wind slab can be seen to lookers right that likely happened on Wednesday.
Use hand pits and pole probes to identify lingering wind slabs. Look for hard snow sitting over weaker snow, smooth and rounded or lens shaped features. Shooting cracks or whumping are signs of instability and indicators of this avalanche problem.
As always we recommend carrying the appropriate rescue gear and knowing how to use it. Safe travel techniques are important every time we travel in avalanche terrain. This means spreading out when ascending slopes, descending one at a time, and regrouping well outside of the runout zone.
It will be possible to trigger small sluffs in steep terrain greater than 40º in wind sheltered locations on all aspects and elevations in isolated or extreme terrain. It is also possible for a wind slab to trigger a small sluff, increasing the size and consequence of the avalanche. Even a small loose dry avalanche may be able to sweep you off your feet and carry you into other hazards. Small dry loose avalanches can be mitigated safely with appropriate slope cutting techniques.
