Another Great Season for Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center
Contributed by Andy Dennis
The mission of the Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center (HPAC) is to provide avalanche information and advisories to assist and educate the public in avoiding avalanches in the Hatcher Pass area of the Talkeetna Mountains in Alaska. HPAC is the sole forecast center and educator of avalanche safety in the Mat-Su Valley. Without HPAC, thousands of backcountry enthusiasts would lack pertinent avalanche information to assist in their decision making on how to travel in avalanche terrain.
HPAC is a small, grassroots, non-profit, non-agency, community supported avalanche center. HPAC was founded in 2008 by Jed Workman and Allie Barker. During the season of 2012-2013, HPAC joined under the umbrella of the non-profit organization, the Alaska Avalanche Information Center (AAIC). In 2017, HPAC formed an advisory board. In 2019, HPAC separated from AAIC to form its own independent 501C3 nonprofit organization, HPAC INC.
HPAC is one of only nine non-government funded avalanche centers in the country. HPAC not only provides specific avalanche forecasting information but also provides general backcountry travel information and advice. HPAC provides free lifesaving information throughout the winter season. Currently, HPAC is publishing two avalanche forecasts per week (Saturday and Thursday). Forecasters curate a public observations platform and update social media several times per week.
These resources are offered to the public for free. HPAC provides 50-60 avalanche forecasts per season, mid-November through mid-April. HPAC also provides 100-150 regular social media posts and weather updates during every significant weather event from October through the end of April. HPAC provides avalanche education at local public high schools, youth organizations, Mat-Su EMS, and MAT+SAR Search and Rescue.
Weather and avalanche updates on Facebook and Instagram are viewed by anywhere between 1000 and 20,000 individuals per post (larger numbers are generally attributed to posts being shared by local pages run by the Mat-Su Borough and local clubs and businesses centered around backcountry recreation and safety). During the current season, the forecast page has seen 36,000 unique visitors and the weather page has seen 30,000. Educational programming this season reached approximately 1200 individuals.
HPAC works in conjunction with Alaska State Troopers, Alaska Mountain Rescue Group, Alaska State Parks, Alaska Department of Transportation, Mat-Su EMS, and MAT+SAR to help manage avalanche incidents in Hatcher Pass.
HPAC employs three professional avalanche forecasters, one apprentice forecaster, an executive director, and several part time educators. There is a strong and active board of directors composed of local community members.
Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center is funded through individual donations, corporate donations, and grants. Though the state of Alaska has a mandate to provide avalanche information, this is an unfunded mandate. Visit our Sponsors Page at www.hpavalanche.org/about/sponsors to see a comprehensive list of supporters.
HPAC supports an active scholarship program. This season eight partial scholarships were provided to Mat-Su Valley residents for formal avalanche education. To learn more about this program visit https://hpavalanche.org/about/scholarship-fund/
Visit our website at www.hpavalanche.org to get the forecast and learn more about the Center.
Email us at info@hpavalanche.org if you are interested in donating, sponsoring a forecast, volunteering, joining our board, or helping with fundraiser events.
To donate to HPAC visit https://hpavalanche.org/donate/.