Southern San Juan

Snowpack

Toured WCP again on W-S-NE at and below treeline. Hs nearly 2ft with little wind, found excellent riding conditions in low density snow everywhere. New snow is bonding well to old though many small dry loose observed on steep terrain. Y'days temp inversion had temps around the pass in the hi teens, though significantly colder on shaded aspects. Mod to strong radiation already let to widespread sfc hoar (observed 7mm to 1cm sfc, laid down) and i expect significant sfc/near sfc faceting to continue for now (observed most pronounced on sunny slopes). Snow on sunny slopes started to compact already (though still fantastic to ski); produced 3 collapses on S and SW slopes, at least one of them propagating about 80ft knocking off snow from treebranches (hard to hear because of new snow). Didnt have time to further investigate but here's an attempy for explanation: those aspects had little snow on ground 5 days ago before new 20" fell. There was some sfc facetting on these slopes as well as some DH. The compacting new snow weight is stressing these slopes (i expect this problem to subside pretty soon).... at WCP, areas of CON around tl and above on slopes approaching 40dgr, most pronounced on NW-SE though based on y'days observed collapsing on S-SW i'd keep a careful approach today on any such steeper slope regardless of aspect. Had opportunity to test several small but very steep slopes that previously avalanches and had refilled with 1-1.5ft (these must have ran 5-7days ago). I was unable to produce instab signs. Steep slopes that havent ran yet are still suspect.