Buried threat: Weak snow layers threaten Alaska snowmachine riders

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - January’s record snowfall in Southcentral Alaska has created dangerous avalanche conditions across Alaska’s backcountry, burying weak snow layers that could trigger deadly slides even for experienced snowmachine riders.

“We’ve got three inches of precipitation and 40 inches of snow in town. So that’s really unusual,” John Sykes, Avalanche Forecaster for Chugach National Forest Avalanche Center, said.

“The thing that makes it kind of scary from an avalanche perspective is that December was totally dry and cold.”

Sykes said that the combination of December’s dry, cold conditions and January’s heavy precipitation has created a snowpack with unstable layers that avalanche experts say could persist through the season.

And even further, experts say that recent rain has made conditions more dangerous by creating ice crusts that can trigger avalanches.

“When we get rain, it forms these ice crusts in the snowpack, and those behave kind of uniquely once they’re buried,” Sykes explained. “The ice kind of acts like a pane of glass in the snowpack and can form weak snow grains both above and below it.”

Remote triggering poses new risks

Sykes mentioned that the current conditions allow for remote triggering, where snowmachiners on flat terrain can trigger avalanches on steep slopes above them.

“The scary part about that is you could be on pretty much flat terrain and trigger an avalanche on steep terrain above you that could come down,” Sykes said.

The Chugach Avalanche Center has issued seven special avalanche warnings or bulletins for Anchorage this year.

“We’ve done three avalanche bulletins and four warnings; and that’s essentially a communication tool that we use to let people know that the conditions are really dangerous beyond what’s normal,” Sykes said.

Traditional warning signs may be harder to detect for snowmachine riders.

“Snowmachines are just loud. Plus, you’re wearing a full face helmet and goggles and all that stuff,” Sykes explained. “So it can be really hard to hear those.”

Safety equipment and training essential

Avalanche experts recommend proper safety equipment and training before heading into the backcountry.

“It’s really important that you have good partners and that you have the right rescue equipment,” Sykes said.

Travis Smith, a recreational snowmachiner who has been riding in Alaska since 1998, carries essential safety gear on every trip.

“For the safety tools — my group, we have beacon, probe, and of course, we have a shovel,” Smith said.

Smith said he is avoiding terrain he would normally ride this season due to the conditions.

“There’s an underlying weak facet in the snow that is scary and I don’t want to have anything to do with it,” Smith said. “So I’ll just stay out of that terrain for now.”

He also screens potential riding partners for their avalanche training.

“I have a lot of people ask if they can come with me. And then one of my first questions is, ‘Yeah, I would love for you to join. You know, what’s your avalanche training consist of?’” Smith said.

Rescue procedures critical for survival

If an avalanche occurs, rescue must happen quickly. Experts say that 15 minutes is the target time for rescue.

“If somebody gets buried in an avalanche, you watch them the whole time, see where they get buried, and then you turn your transceiver onto search mode, and it’s able to direct you right to where that buried person is,” Sykes said

Sykes said the rescue process involves using a probe to determine exactly where the buried person is located, then shoveling them out as quickly as possible.

“It’s kind of one of those ‘slow is smooth and smooth is fast’ situations where you just want to be practiced and go really intentionally towards that person that was buried,” Sykes said.

Warning signs to watch for

Avalanche experts recommend watching for several red flags in the field.

“One of them is recent avalanches. So if you see any avalanches in the area that are fresh, that’s the number one sign that it’s dangerous,” Sykes explained.

Sykes mentioned other warning signs include shooting cracks that open up in front of riders and collapsing sounds in the snowpack, though the latter can be difficult to hear on snowmachines.

Conditions expected to persist

Experts say the dangerous conditions could last through the season, with some areas more affected than others.

“Areas like Chugach State Park or the Summit Lake area, where the snowpack is generally thinner, that means it’s also generally weaker,” Sykes said. “So the dangerous conditions can last longer.”

The Chugach Avalanche Center will offer a free avalanche rescue clinic on Feb. 15 at the Glen Alps Trailhead in Anchorage for those wanting to improve their rescue skills.

Smith emphasized the importance of patience during these conditions.

“Snowmobiling is ... it’s awesome. You know, you get in the backcountry and you just have this freedom and there’s nothing holding you back,” Smith said.

But Smith stressed the need for caution.

“When I check the avalanche report in the morning and things look dangerous out there, typically we’ll change our plans a little bit and stay in less complicated terrain,” Smith said.

Experts recommend checking current conditions, taking safety courses and being prepared to turn around before heading into the backcountry. They advise staying on low-angle terrain and away from runout zones of overhead avalanche paths to remain safe regardless of conditions.

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