Find Peak 4940 on Sunnyside of Turnagain Pass and climb the gnarliest avalanche path to it's summit. This gigantic terrain trap accesses the high chutes of TT43. Apparently the Department of Transportation named this avalanche path because it threatens the road and power lines. Some call it TT4940 for Terrain Trap 4940.

Following ravings from Brad Cosgrove, Henry Munter and Ryan Hokanson, I recruited fellow guide and avalanche instructor Leighan Falley for a look. The Chugach avalanche advisory was boasting LOW avalanche danger after rain and two weeks of no snow, but snow began falling as we crossed Turnagain Pass and our doubts rose. As we booted high in the TT43 gullies, the two inches of new snow was point releasing and running 1,000 vertical feet. At 4,000-feet we entered a broken layer of clouds. We remained on the verge of turning around on the entire climb. In the end, the sloughing and storm abated enough to let us squeak up the 43-degree chute and emerge on the corniced summit of Peak 4940. The 4,300-foot shot took us straight to the valley floor. One of the longer runs at Turnagain Pass, but still a long shot from the 6,300-foot north face of Pioneer Peak.

Leighan booting 43-degree snow through rock islands 300 feet from the summit. Hurry! It's 3PM and getting dark.

Stormy and windy but so fun. We had awesome powder skiing for the top 2,000 feet. The new snow over recycled powder was sloughing. Stable conditions otherwise.

Skiing dust on crust and dust on avalanche debris in the throat of TT43.