Northern San Juan

Avalanche

Susan Hale Ann Mellick · Feb 9, 2016 · Northern San Juan

View on map

Weather

Balmy, breezy. Encountered gusty conditions in the morning, but by mid-day northerly winds began to subside. Wind-transport was observed early, mainly above treeline. Significant jump in temps today - first time to see 30F at weather stations above treeline. Pass level reaching 48-50F!!

Snowpack

Terrain above TL is wind-battered and/or heavily cross-loaded by lengthy stint of strong northerly winds. Also, plenty of evidence of wind re-distribution of snow near TL on a variety of aspects - as in drifts behind terrain features or as wind-skins on exposed northerly aspects. Exposed areas below treeline have also been wind-affected. The sun/warm temps have been working the pack - W-S-E beginning to look like spring - either as thick crusts or warm, sticky snow as sufaces heated up with today's strong solar radiation.

Avalanche

Did not observe any new slab aval. activity. However this afternoon saw plenty of wet-loose point releases from south-facing, steep, rocky terrain (these were too numerous to count up County Rd 2). Many of these long-running but shallow. (Of note - this area had numerous slab releases during the recent storm/avalanche cycle that have mostly gone unreported, some reaching the county road.)