The Bottom Line: Our current snowpack has avalanche problems that have the potential for severe consequences. Load/trigger and steeper slope angle are the missing ingredients of causing serious harm. Wide margins of safety are highly recommended. 

 

N NE and NW slopes may be harboring wind slabs. Winds are building cornices on ridges, also gullies/ other terrain features might be cross loaded. 

 

Be prepared for an avalanche that could step down to deeper instabilities, creating a slide that could break very wide, and take out all the “safe” zones on a slope. Be extra careful not to group up in places that an avalanche can reach. Be diligent and patient, practice good group management, communication and decision making. Keep small groups helping everyone to have a voice. Systems and checklists help reduce the human factor. Do not ski/ride on the same slope as another group. Travel one at a time or with enough spacing so that only one person is exposed to an avalanche path at any one time. There are plenty of safe and beautiful opportunities for riding in this region.

 

When seeking out wind protected zones, remember that wind-protected pockets may be harboring weak, buried surface hoar layers. Protected means preserved.

 

Buried Surface Hoar Layers:

• Jan 25th melt freeze crust is 1-2′ deep (with recent winds and snow, there is a lot of variability on depth of this widespread layer) sitting on top of it are near surface facets, and buried surface hoar from Feb 1-4.
• January 10th surface hoar is now buried about 3-4 feet deep. Reports of remote-triggered activity on this layer Jan 27-28.
• The Dec 31 surface hoar layer is present in the Transitional and Pass zones, about 4+ft deep. This layer has been active in pits, and caused some natural avalanches in early January

 

Feb 17- Haines Pass W, SW aspect. 2500′ The pit pictured below produced a ECTP19 down 40cm on facets under a thin ice lens/Jan 25 layer.

 

Feb 17- Haines Pass tree line 2500’ S aspect ECTP24 40 cm down, below Jan 25 crust

 

Feb 17- Haines Pass W, SW aspect. 2500′ The pit pictured below produced a ECTP19 down 35cm on Jan 25 crust/Feb 1-4 facet interface

 

 

 

Jan 22- Propagating result down 45 cm, 2,300′ SW-aspect, 7-Mi Haines Chilkat Pass.

 

 

Photo taken on Jan 12 of Surface Hoar on a W aspect near treeline in the Haines Pass.

 

 

Deep weak layers under strong layers are persistent in the pass. A wide safety margin is necessary. This setup could produce avalanches that break wider than expected, and are most likely to be triggered from shallow trigger points like rocks or small trees or a smaller slide that steps down to these lower instabilities.  You could ride the same slope numerous times until that right spot produces a large destructive slide.

 

Old Melt Layers and Crusts:

• Cold temperatures and a shallow, wind scoured early season snowpack created conditions for depth hoar growth.
• A buried persistent weak layer about 6+ feet deep (The “Big Warmup” Layer, Formed Nov 17th) is still a concern. Numerous natural avalanches observed 1/27 likely on this layer.

 

Feb 17- Haines Pass W, SW aspect. 2500′ Faceted clusters found near the ground

 

Photos shows 6-9mm advanced depth hoar at the ground down 180cm with ECTP 25 down 80cm on facets below a crust in the Haines Pass Zone at 4,000ft on a NE-aspect.