Northern San Juan

Avalanche

Ann Mellick Susan Hale · Apr 12, 2017 · Northern San Juan

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Weather

Sunny and mild. Breezy at above treeline.

Snowpack

Storm snow on colder aspects that fell in late March and early April sits on the older isothermal snowpack. This snow is moist and has settled to about 4"-8" deep (likely deeper on high northerlies up to 12"). It has assimilated on south and east aspects (we were not on west aspects). The snowpack is firmly into the spring regime with warm days and good freezes at night. Dust is becoming more evident on the snow surface, especially in catchment areas on multiple aspects - even some open, sunny northerly slopes. Also observed new sluff activity of recent storm snow on steep northerly aspects.

Avalanche

As mentioned - Noted a few new wet loose sluffs and roller activity beginning to occur on open north aspects near to above treeline.