The National Weather Service Forecasts-

TODAY...SUNNY. HIGHS AROUND 44. LIGHT WINDS BECOMING NORTHEAST
10 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON. NEAR DOWNTOWN JUNEAU AND DOUGLAS.. NORTHEAST WIND 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH IN THE MORNING.

TONIGHT...MOSTLY CLEAR. LOWS AROUND 26. NORTH WIND 10 TO 20 MPH.

THURSDAY...INCREASING CLOUDS. CHANCE OF RAIN AND SNOW IN THE
AFTERNOON. HIGHS AROUND 41. EAST WIND 10 MPH. NEAR DOWNTOWN
JUNEAU. NORTHEAST WIND 10 TO 20 MPH DIMINISHING IN THE AFTERNOON.

Diurnal fluctuation yesterday with solar radiation warmed up our mountain zones during the day. We went from below freezing in the am to 39f at the Mt Roberts Tram. Eaglecrest saw 36f at mid mountain and a little lower on top.

Winds have been blowing a bit in the last 24 hours. Eaglecrest was showing 10-20mph winds this morning. Winds along the channel are stronger with Mt Roberts showing 20-30 gusting to 40... but our wind gauge is in a protected location so ridgetop winds tend to be higher from this location.

Shallow wind slabs may be developing but danger is minimal.

With another day of sun and significant warming look to see small point releases in areas that received new snow a few days back as the trees and rocks clean off and this gets things rolling. Once again any activity should remain small.

Glide remains a concern remember to avoid glide prone areas.

Avalanche danger is Low to Moderate today with Natural Avalanches being possible with the sun later today.

Enjoy a beautiful day.

Dig A Pit

Why Should I Dig a Pit?
Snow is a highly stratified (layered) in most mountain snowpacks. Avalanche danger is directly related to this stratigraphy. In general, slopes are unstable if weak (less cohesive) snow exists under a stronger (more cohesive) slab of snow.

Where Should I Dig a Pit?
The best place to dig a pit is on a slope representative of the one you want to ride, but with little or no consequence of avalanches. That slope should have the same:
?Aspect
?Elevation
?Snow depth

Do I need to dig on a steep slope?
No. Always start by digging on a slope less than 30 degrees before entering steeper terrain. Recent research has shown that you can conduct snowpack tests on slopes less than 30 degrees and find similar results as you would on steeper slopes (as long as the slope is representative and the snowpack is reasonably consistent). If you want to learn more about slope angles and stability tests, read this article or this article.

Avoid digging in an area that is wind scoured, has old ski or board tracks, or excessive vegetation.

What Am I Looking For?
The Red Flags in your pit are:
?More cohesive or harder, stronger snow over less cohesive or softer, weaker snow.
?Very weak, sugary snow lower in the snowpack.
?Crack propagation in a weak layer of snow more than a couple of inches deep (refer to extended column test)

LIVE TO RIDE ANOTHER DAY!

Eaglecrest is hosting an Backcountry Safety Awareness and Companion Rescue Course Saturday March 5th from 8:30am-3:30pm.

This course is free and sponsored by the Department of Public Safety.

During this day long course you will learn about avalanche terrain, weather, and stability assessment tests. You will also learn about Avalanche Rescue as well as transceiver, probe and shovel use.

Please share this offering with your friends. Lets all do out part to maintain a safe backcountry community.

For more information or to sign up please email [email protected]