Hatcher Pass reopens after 20-foot-deep avalanche

HATCHER PASS -- Last Thursday marked the reopening of Hatcher Pass Road between the 15.5-and 17-mile markers, and parking lots in that area are plowed and ready for use.

Mat-Su and Copper Basin area superintendent Dale Bingham said the road was closed for several days recently after the area received a 56-inch dump of snow that triggered several avalanches on the Marmot Mountain just past Motherlode Lodge. Several avalanches took place last week, leaving around 20 feet of snow on the road just past the lodge. One avalanche left a snow load approximately 100 feet wide and between 3 and 5 feet deep past the Fishhook Trailhead parking lot at Mile 16.5, near to Hatcher Pass Lodge.

"When people [in the upper Hatcher Pass area], Friday night, tried to return home, they thought they ran off the road," Bingham said. "They ran into an avalanche."

Area Department of Transportation manager Curt Devan said when he spoke to park staff they reported a flurry of avalanches between Thursday and Sunday.

"We had a lot of avalanche activity during the storm cycle," Devan said. "They heard avalanches coming down all night long."

After Bingham received a call Friday from Devan that the area was experiencing whiteout conditions and snow was already blocking the road, the two men agreed to close the road. Crews began working to open the road Saturday, and the road was ready for use Thursday. Bingham said crews were out early last week to begin removing the snow.

That doesn't necessarily mean the area is now free of avalanche danger. In fact, Bingham said, the opposite is true.

"The avalanche hazards are very high at this time," Bingham said.

Those venturing into the backcountry should beware of human-triggered avalanches. Bingham advised backcountry users to assess the risk on the slopes they will be using and avoid wind-loaded slopes when heading out.

According to information from Bingham's office, the grooming of snowmachine trails ended for the season on April 5, so avalanche debris will not be removed from the snowmachine trail just above Archangel Ridge. Snowmachiners are advised to use the Fishhook Trailhead at Mile 16.5 as an access point to Hatcher Pass and the area west of the pass. Goldmint Trailhead at Mile 14 reportedly only accesses the Archangel Valley, unless snowmachiners attempt to cross the very uneven avalanche debris. Bingham offered the reminder that it is illegal to operate snowmachines on the maintained portion of Hatcher Pass Road.

Bingham added that because of the recent snowfall, Denali State Park is once again open to snowmachiners.

Snowmachiners may call 745-3975 for updated park access information.