Northern San Juan

Snowpack

The new snow did not exhibit much slab character except for in wind-loaded pockets below ridgelines and where it sits over very weak faceted now in northeast-facing pockets below treeline. I imagine it's more cohesive on windier slopes and in areas that received more snow. In a snowpit dug on a northeast slope at 11,800', the most problematic layer was the 12/9 persistent weak layer, with a propagating failure resulting in the "cash register" effect as the entire slab on top fell into my lap. The potential exists for remote triggers in this area if you find a stiff enough slab on a slope that tilts towards the north.