Southern San Juan

Avalanche

Becs Hodgetts · Dec 21, 2022 · Southern San Juan

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Observation photo 1

Weather

Calm with ridgetop drifting. Warm-ish.

Snowpack

Traveled west-northwest-west slopes near and below treeline. Snowpack similar to east side of Red Mountian Pass. HS on northerlies 30-80cm. 4F midpack slab splits two fist facetted layers. Boot pen to ground. Midpack supportable to skis as long as you don't turn too aggresively. Still loads of shallow buried obstacles in the trees. Multiple collaspes below treeline with cracks shooting ~ 40 feet. Tried to get some loose dry sluffs going on steep slopes with limited success. Areas exposed to the wind had 2-10cm think windslab with 2-3mm facets on the surface and below the slab. Anything south below treeline had thin sun crust, by noon the surface had warmed enough to form the next thin crust.

Avalanche

One small crown atl below a ridge.