Northern San Juan

Avalanche

Level 1 Avi Course Silverton Avalanche School · Dec 20, 2014 · Northern San Juan

View on map

Weather

few, scattered to overcast. Winds were calm with a few light gusts, NO transport observed down low or visually up high. No precip, temps were warm approx mid 20's w/ a little solar radiation before clouds moved in

Snowpack

No signs of instability. checked a SSE aspect off road. Average HS 60cm's. Surface had thin crust 2mm. profile 26degrees revealed rounded facets on ground .5-1.o mm w some cohesion and bonding fist+. Mid pack 4f+. Dec 12th crust Pencil hard. CT 14 Q2 on the dec 12th crust ECTX. Informal testing revealed lower interface Q3 failure, not to concerning. Northeast aspect variable HS from 20-90 cm's within 30'. Profiles around 30 degrees revealed HS of around 80cm. Fist hard from surface 30 cm down. 4F to 1F back to 4f near ground. Basal facets were 1-2mm. larger where shallow spots(30cm). CT26 & 16 Q3 30cm down. ECTX. Extensive pounding and prying revealed no other failures and a somewhat uniform snow pack.

Avalanche

Nothing observed from today or very recent though on drive up observed 2 older small slab releases below cross loaded feature ESE above tree line. Probably D1-1.5, Two days old. 1 other Soft slab on steep cross loaded gully South of McMillan, hard to say but 1-2 days old, N Aspect above treelike.