Coastal Alaska Avalanche Center — Avalanche Forecast

This is our last forecast of the 2025/2026 season! The spring thaw continues to dominate Douglas Island. The Powder Patch station at Eaglecrest has recorded above-freezing temperatures since April 26. According to snow pits dug this week in two different locations, the snowpack appears to be fully saturated and in isothermal conditions. Our primary concern remains wet loose avalanches, along with the potential for a cornice fall to trigger a deeper, larger avalanche. In pits on both Northerly and Southerly aspects, we observed old melt-freeze crusts with density and grain-size changes around 100 cm below the surface. This is potentially the bed surface where we have seen larger avalanches release this month. Cornice failures have continued to be observed around Douglas Island. Even when they are not stepping down into larger avalanches, they can still produce significant amounts of wet debris. Give cornices a wide berth and stay aware of overhead hazards. As we continue to see rain on snow combined with warming temperatures, the potential for large wet slab avalanches still exists. Please continue posting your observations to Coastal Alaska Avalanche Center, even if it is simply reporting good conditions. All information is helpful, especially as we transition out of regular forecasts.