Avalanche Danger Update

Avalanche danger has increased in the Western Chugach Mountains of Chugach State Park, and is expected to continue to increase or at least remain elevated for the next several days.

After an extended stretch of cold weather that began earlier this month (our first real taste of true Alaskan winter this season) we’ve returned to a warm, windy, and wet pattern that is expected to last through the weekend.

Despite the dismal weather and dangerous avalanche conditions we must endure for the next several days, the snowpack could actually use the shocking reset that results from stress-inducing warm storms; it will hopefully flush out some persistent instabilities naturally and contribute to a more benign metamorphism as it mellows out the temperature gradient (that was drastically steepened by the extended stretch of clear and cold that significantly faceted the snowpack in many areas).

Our advice: be patient, positive, and approach the mountains with caution when the weather breaks as it’ll take some time to understand the post-storm state of the snowpack.

Remember: while it may not appear that stormy in the mountains you can see from Anchorage, wind is the primary driver of avalanche danger in the mountains of Chugach State Park.  Strong winds arrived yesterday, and are expected to continue through the week.  Not only will the winds increase avalanche danger, but they will complicate backcountry/mountain travel and make it simply unpleasant.

Recreating in the lower elevations out of and away from avalanche terrain will be prudent the next few days (not to mention more pleasurable being sheltered from the wind): a good time for fat biking, nordic skiing, or visiting an ice climbing crag in a relatively cold area.