Northern San Juan

Snowpack

Traveled up on S thru E aspects near and below treeline where snow was thin and patchy. Some pockets had 1'-1.5' snow cover made up of about 3 layers of supportive MF crusts & facets. On these aspects the surfaces will be the future problem. The latest skiff of snow is low density and made up of large, slick plates that are NOT bonding to the old slick hard surface. Skied down N-NE aspects. There were wind slabs near ridge crests, but as we dropped down to protected glades we found a snowpack that has deteriorated into loose facets and depth hoar that no longer supports skis. Steeper areas are treacherous when the facets wash out from under foot to the rocks underneath.