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Current Advisory Level
NoneAbove 3,000ftNone
1,500 to 3,000ftNone
Below 1,500ftNone
Current Advisory Level
NoneAbove 4,000ftNone
2,000 to 4,000ftNone
Below 2,000ftNone
Current Advisory Level
NoneAbove 4,000ftNone
2,000 to 4,000ftNone
Below 2,000ftNone
Observations
Tell us what you're seeing out there.
Forecast Center Observation
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Date | 2023-12-09 |
Location | Valdez |
Observer | Liam |
Avalanche | N |
General Observations
We observed wind slabs and lots of wind affected areas. There were deep deposits of snow and wind loading. As well as storm slab and a potential weak layer. Up top was wind blown and not as fun as the bottom 500 ft of riding.
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Date | 2022-11-24 |
Location | Valdez |
Observer | Isaiah Calhoun |
Avalanche | N |
General Observations
Toured up Nick's Happy Valley on Thanksgiving day. Encountered windloading on W-SW aspects and wind effect on E. Otherwise a mostly settled pack with two distinct rain crusts of variable thickness through the valley and a consistent 30-40cms of new storm snow on top. Alders present until 1/2 way up the median moraine. Creek was…
![](https://dev.alaskasnow.org/wp-content/uploads/gravity_forms/10-b8977f83417a1ffc39f2f9be578a08d4/2022/11/Schoolbus-gut-16-Nov.jpg)
Date | 2022-11-16 |
Location | Valdez |
Observer | Kyle Sobek |
Avalanche | N |
General Observations
School Bus Pit @ 4000' on the lookers right edge of the School Bus gut. Pit results proved to be fairly stable, but that was for the gut, with a relatively deep snowpack. The rain line from the most recent storm (11/11-11/13) seemed to be around 3200-3500'. Hiked up almost to the Goodwills ridge, up…
Valdez Avalanche Center
Support the education and sharing of avalanche information for mountains surrounding the Port of Valdez to Milepost 65 on the Richardson Highway. Our membership keeps the mission going. Join as a Valdez Avalanche Center member today, or donate directly.
The Valdez Avalanche Center has been providing safety information in the Chugach Mountains surrounding Valdez since 2006. It began as a radio interview discussing snow and avalanche conditions. Locals asked for information they could make plans with. Forecasts are currently issued Friday through Sunday with special alerts for significant weather or avalanche events. Information contained in the forecasts is intended to be used as a tool in conjunction with your personal backcountry hazard evaluation.
Public observations are encouraged and aid the accuracy of the avalanche forecasts in our data-sparse region.
Valdez Avalanche Forecasters
Forecaster with the Valdez Avalanche Center
![](https://dev.alaskasnow.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/unnamed.jpg)
Forecaster with the Valdez Avalanche Center
![](https://dev.alaskasnow.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/PSB-in-SNowpit-TB-2016cropped-150x150.jpeg)
Sarah Carter: Forecaster/Instructor/Valdez Avalanche Center Director5
[email protected]
Sarah loves SNOW! She forecasts for VAC. She also teaches avalanche classes with the Alaska Avalanche Information Center, Prince William Sound College, Backcountry Babes, and UAA.
Kyle Sobek: Instructor/Forecaster
Kyle rides every moment he gets. Kyle is now a Kenny Lake resident and calls Alaska home. He seeks out every opportunity to learn about snow and mountain riding. Kyle instructs avalanche courses and forecasts part-time for Valdez Avalanche Center.
Sean Wisner: Rescue Coordinator
Ben Stolen: Observer
Gareth Brown: Observer
Josh McDonald: Observer
Dr. John Cullen, M.D.: Advisory Board Member and Medical Advisor