Conditions Report
After a dry start to the season, Alaska is finally starting to come around with a little bit of snow, wet snow, but snow none the less. Last week I managed to make it back up there and shred around Alyeska with some friends and family for some of the deepest days of the season thus far. With a couple of days of snow, followed by a rare bluebird day the week was a success, and just in time as the resort was closed Friday and Saturday due to heavy amounts of precipitation, mostly in the form of rain.
The seven day forecast isn’t the most enticing, with rain snow mix for the next week out, meaning heavy amounts of snow up high with rain down low. However the thing about Alaska is there can be a 100% chance of rain and it can be bluebird all day as I saw last week. The weather up there changes instantly and is highly unpredictable, adding to the mystique of skiing AK.
Currently the snow at the resort is ripping, the fresh snow is keeping the mountain soft and smooth up high with more on the way. Down low however the temps are much warmer resulting in rain and icy slopes. The high temperature swings and large amounts of precipitation are resulting in considerable avy danger for Turnagain above and below treeline. While Alaska isn’t having the best start to the season, they are still doing much better than most of the west, especially Tahoe. Hopefully things start to change here in Tahoe soon, if not a trip to Utah, Jackson, or even AK may be on tap for most of us soon as it appears the Tahoe Exodus is very real.
