On Tuesday morning a significant avalanche event on Hatcher Pass resulted in the road being buried with up to 15 feet of debris in spots according to the Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center.
Recent heavy snow and winds have caused serious instability within the snowpack and as a result have created high danger conditions in the area.
“A natural avalanche crossed the Hatcher Pass road today (on the Palmer side of the pass) at mile 15, depositing up to 12-15 feet of debris on the roadway. Details are approximate at this time. The road has been closed at the Goldmint Parking lot.”- Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center
As of this morning, the road was still closed and no updates have been issued by the Alaska Department of Transportation at this time.
Missing Skier
A Wasilla man is still missing after heavy snow and wind dumped its payload on the Hatcher Pass area this past weekend. The man was last heard from on Sunday, when he told his family, “he was going to be skiing in the area of Hatcher Pass.”
His vehicle was located in the 13.5 mile marker parking lot on Hatcher Pass but he was not in the area.
The disappearance comes on the heels of an avalanche advisory, which was issued Saturday and continues until 1pm today.
Avalanche Warning for Hatcher Pass
…AVALANCHE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 1PM AKST WEDNESDAY FOR THE
MOUNTAINS OF HATCHER PASS…
THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS TRANSMITTED AT THE REQUEST OF THE HATCHER PASS
AVALANCHE CENTER.
THE HATCHER PASS AVALANCHE CENTER HAS ISSUED A BACKCOUNTRY AVALANCHE
WARNING.
* TIMING…IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM AKST TODAY TO 1:00 PM AKST WEDNESDAY
* AFFECTED AREA…FOR THE MOUNTAINS OF HATCHER PASS IN THE
TALKEETNA MOUNTAIN RANGE.
* AVALANCHE DANGER…THE AVALANCHE DANGER FOR THE WARNING AREA WILL
RISE TO HIGH TODAY THROUGH TOMORROW.
* REASON…RECENT HEAVY SNOW COMBINED WITH WIND WILL HAS CREATED
WIDESPREAD AREAS OF UNSTABLE SNOW. BOTH HUMAN TRIGGERED AND
NATURAL AVALANCHES ARE LIKELY ON SLOPES STEEPER THAN ABOUT 30
DEGREES.
PRECAUTIONARY / PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
BACKCOUNTRY TRAVELERS SHOULD STAY OFF OF AND OUT FROM UNDERNEATH
SLOPES STEEPER THAN 30 DEGREES. AVALANCHES MAY RUN LONG
DISTANCES. CHOOSE CONSERVATIVE TERRAIN.
CONSULT WWW.HATCHERPASSAVALANCHECENTER.ORG FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION.
SIMILAR AVALANCHE DANGER MAY EXIST AT LOCATIONS OUTSIDE THE COVERAGE AREA
OF ANY AVALANCHE CENTER. CHECK WWW.ALASKASNOW.ORG AND
WWW.AVALANCHE.ORG FOR YOUR CLOSEST AVALANCHE CENTER.