Northern San Juan
AvalancheKrista Beyer · May 13, 2024 · Northern San Juan
Weather
Light northerly winds today followed yesterday's strong north winds in the 30s, gusting into the 40s. Temperatures at nearby weather stations climbed above 40 degrees at 12,300 ft. Cloud coverage was in and out for much of the day, with some small afternoon virga dropping a few snowflakes.
Snowpack
4-6 inches of new (settled) snow graced the peaks around Red Mountain Pass. This snow was saturated and stacked above a stout melt-freeze crust that did not appear to be breaking down near and above treeline. This past two weeks of unsettled weather and cooler temperatures have slowed the melt rate at upper elevations. I was pleasantly surprised by the coverage above pass level. Car-to-car skiing is available if you park and start high (around 11,000 ft). Below treeline slopes are bare, spotty, or thin on most aspects, making for sporty descents (or walking descents) if you choose to navigate lower-elevation runouts.
Avalanche
The shed cycle observed occured yesterday afternoon and today (5/12 and 5/13). The majority of slides were small point releases from rocks, but a few entrained enough snow to be a D1.5. While small, these slides are indicative of degrading snow quality conditions, and could be a problem if triggered on steep terrain or above exposed rocks and cliffs. A start early, end early message continues to be the advice for both avalanche avoidance and snow quality.