Northern San Juan
AvalancheColin Mitchell · Feb 1, 2020 · Northern San Juan
Weather
Overcast, breezy and warm. Felt very spring-like. The cloud cover was relatively thin and some radiation was getting through. Winds were moderate, but no blowing snow was observed.
Snowpack
We traveled NE-E-SE slopes to just above treeline. The snow stayed surprisingly cold given the warm temperatures. Southerly-facing aspects had a surface crust from warm temperatures and sun earlier in the week, but were not getting wet today. East and northeast aspects had about ten inches of 4F-hard new and recent snow over a solid mid-pack. Near-surface facets buried in mid-January are getting harder to find. Lots of evidence of recent wind loading and sculpting. Wind-exposed near and above treeline slopes were littered with small wind slabs 2 inches to 2 feet thick, but they were not reactive to ski pressure. No signs of instability observed today.
Avalanche
No new activity observed