Northern San Juan
SnowpackJeremy Yanko · Mar 27, 2022 · Northern San Juan
Weather
Warm with light W/SW breeze and few high thin clouds
Snowpack
Traveled on predominantly west aspects from 10k- 12,400ft. A marginal to no freeze overnight was apparent below treeline where now a 1F 2cm thick melt-freeze crust was easy to break under skis on the way up this morning. By 11am near treeline at 11,500ft, the surface was warming yet the 2" pencil hard melt-freeze crust was intact enough to barely break under boot penetration. Moved around the basin digging a few holes on westerly aspects. Near treeline on a NW aspect yielded moderate propagating results where a stiff 45cm slab rests over the primary weak layer of concern. Whereas, I observed hard to no instability test results on a very similar aspect ~700' higher where a very dense slab sits 60cm above the PWL. The main layer of concern (2/16-2/21) still driving the persistent-avalanche problem had a 4F hardness of rounding facets at upper elevations which was a nice improvement compared to other recent test sites. However, at lower elevations or anywhere the slab is thinner is still showing Fist hardness on the slow to round facet layer from Mid-February. Free water percolation into the snowpack was not observed past 10-15cm from the surface at upper to mid elevations. The Due west aspect at 12,400ft was shallow (65cm) alike other sites in the North San Juan, though found more of a slab at this location which was layered with 3 crust layers. Failures to the ground on rounding depth hoar were achieved with snowpack test scores. Moving downhill on skis by mid-afternoon on the westerly aspects was not particularly ideal as it was easy to drop through the surface over boot top into a thin and nearly moisture laden snowpack.