Hatcher Pass

Forecast as of 03/28/2019 at 07:00 and expires on 03/29/2019

Above 3,500ft None

2,500 to 3,500ft None

Below 2,500ftNone

Degrees of Avalanche Danger

Avalanche Activity

Several skiers have reported triggering small wet loose avalanches on steep SE to SW aspects the last few days.  Many small natural wet loose avalanches, some gouging down to ground, have been observed the last few days.  Several cornice triggered avalanches have been observed, including a large, natural cornice-triggered avalanche on a northwest aspect of Rae Wallace Chutes on Marmot that occurred overnight Monday the 25th. For details and photos, please see observations.

 

Weather

Weather History

Weather at 3450′ since Saturday 3/23:

Temperatures averaged 32°F, with a low of 25°F and a high of 43°F.

Winds averaged N 3 mph, max 6 mph.  Max gusts recorded were SE 16 mph .

There has been 4″ new snow (0.3″ SWErecorded at Independence Mine since 3/23.

Weather at 4500′ since Saturday 3/23:

Temperatures averaged  28°F, with a low of  22°F and a high of 40°F.

Winds averaged SE-SSE 6 mph, max 17 mph.  Gusts averaged SE 10 mph, max gust 27 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 March 30, 2019.

Previous avalanche advisories HERE

MIDWEEK SNOW AND AVALANCHE CONDITIONS SUMMARY FOR MARCH 28, 2019

It will be possible for large cornices to fail naturally or for a human or dog to trigger today. Cornice-triggered avalanches have the potential to trigger larger sluffs or slab avalanches that may fail to the ground. Human-triggered small to large, wet loose avalanches will be possible on steep slopes (>40 degrees) on all aspects at lower elevations and on E to W aspects at mid and upper elevations, in the afternoon. Human-triggered wet slabs will be possible today on SE to SW aspects, on slopes steeper than 30 degrees, at mid and upper elevations, in the afternoon.

Several skiers have reported triggering small wet loose avalanches on steep SE to SW aspects the last few days.  Many small natural wet loose avalanches, some gouging down to ground, have been observed the last few days.  Several cornice triggered avalanches have been observed, including a large, natural cornice-triggered avalanche on a west aspect of Rae Wallace Chutes on Marmot that occurred overnight Monday the 25th.

The west side of Hatcher Pass was favored during the last round of snow Saturday night the 23rd and Sunday night the 24th. This zone has 3-6” of settled snow that is generally drier.  The East side of Hatcher Pass and Independence Mine Bowl received 3” overnight Saturday the 23rd and 1” overnight Sunday the 24th.  On the east side of Hatcher Pass, the snow is moist on most aspects and cooked down on southerly aspects.  Corn harvesting can be found on lower angle E to W slopes at mid elevations and upper elevation southerly slopes early in the day before slopes heat up. At lower elevations the snow is isothermal and snowmachines and skis will 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. 

https://bit.ly/2HstAM7