Northern San Juan
AvalancheJeff Davis · Dec 19, 2016 · Northern San Juan
Weather
Clam, Clear, and Crisp.
Snowpack
Last weeks storm came in "Right Side Up" but fell on a weak and fragile snowpack. On North facing slopes below treeline HS was ~100cm's. Last weeks storm makes up more than half of the snowpack. Facets and surface-hoar developed last night under clear skies. The new snow is fist hard and gradually gets to four finger hardness before hitting the old snow surface. There is a layer of facets that sit between the new and old snow. The old snow is one finger but gradually get to fist in the well develop facets that sit on the ground. The facets at the bottom of the pack were observed to be moist in today's snowpit. Snowpack tests continue to show hard failures with propagating results. In our snowpit there were two reactive layers. One, a hardness change within the new snow and the second, the new/old interface. The real issue with our current snowpack is even though the storm came in "Right-side up" it fell on such a shallow and weak snowpack. As the surface slab settle and stiffens, avalanche conditions will become more dangerous.
Avalanche
Natural avalanches were observed in the Upper Bear Creek drainage from 12/15-12/17 storm. Natural avalanche was reported above the Ophir Road in the West Badger slide path. Ran approximately 9am.