Northern San Juan

Avalanche

Amy Pertuz · Dec 20, 2019 · Northern San Juan

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Weather

Fair, winds calm, sunny after a cold morning.

Snowpack

Most recent storm snow shows signs of both significant settling as well as near-surface faceting. Many areas in the alpine, including E aspects, look pretty wind hammered from a mix of directions. Soft snow can be found even in the alpine in more protected places, especially northerly aspects. Crusts and occasional drummy slabs exist on south and west aspects, as well. A range of small to well-developed surface hoar to 1cm was seen in numerous protected northerly areas, overlying near surface facets below, up to 8cm deep. Made for great surface contortions. A pit dug on a NW aspect NTL HS 139cm, storm snow settled to 22cm with near surface faceting, a variety of stiff midpack slabs, much of it 1F, 16cm depth hoar, starting to sinter (4F +) , but which produced an ECTP on the 30th tap..

Avalanche

No recent activity observed. No other signs instability.