If Hatcher Pass is in your weekend plans, expect a little extra traffic and maybe a few blocked trails.

The Alaska Mountain Rescue Group, several search and rescue organizations and the Alaska State Troopers are taking part in a large training exercise Saturday and Sunday in Hatcher Pass. The training will be staged from the Independence Mine State Park parking area and will include avalanche skill stations in and around the parking lot on Saturday, and mock avalance scenarios in the surrounding mountains Sunday.

People using the area should be aware that snowmachines and two helicopters will be operating in the area on both days. The upper portion of Independence Mine parking lot will be closed to the public. Alaska Mountain Rescue Group has asked that people avoid flagged areas and slopes above where rescue personnel are training. Alaska State Troopers, in a press release, said motorists should travel slowly and with caution because traffic in the area may be congested.

The training will teach search and rescue responders helicopter and snowmachine safety, avalanche transceiver search skills, probe searching and how to treat and remove avalanche victims. On Sunday trainees will participate in several mock avalanche scenarios in which field teams will respond to simulated avalanche accident areas and locate, assist and transport buried subjects with simulated injuries. According to Troopers, the training aims to prepare the different search and rescue groups and emergency responders to collaborate on real avalanche missions.