Northern San Juan
AvalancheChris Bilbrey · Mar 8, 2021 · Northern San Juan
Weather
Light snow and moderate south winds along ridge top. Maybe an inch of new snow between 10 am and 12:30 pm.
Snowpack
We found a supportable upper snowpack on north through east to south aspects near and below treeline. About 40 to 45 cm's of recent snowfall sits above an obvious near-surface facet layer on northerly aspects near treeline. This layer was unreactive in quick pits and jumping on small test slopes. In wind-drifted areas along the ridge top, we noticed a shallow/ reactive storm layer that didn't seem to concerning today but something to watch with additional snowfall this week. Slopes facing east to south near and below treeline had a 1 to 2 inch breakable melt-freeze crust that didn't show signs of softening by 12:30 pm. Softer, moist grains below surface crust. No wet snow concerns today where we traveled and northerly-facing slopes near and below treeline still holding dry snow on the surface.
Avalanche
No new slides observed.