Northern San Juan

Snowpack

Dustin Eldridge · Dec 11, 2016 · Northern San Juan

Weather

Hit the TH around 1230 and skies were broken with increasing cloud coverage to overcast. Winds were intermittent below treelike, with occasional gusts creating moderate snow transport from the SW. Temps relatively warm (mid to upper 20s)

Snowpack

HS on average for East facing below treelike slopes averaged 60-70 cm with more as elevation increased, up to 100 cm. New snow was 15-20 cm highly dependent upon slope's relation to the wind. Observed cracking in more wind-affected areas with cracks extending up to 20 feet. Pit dug near treeline, approx. 11,600 feet, North facing had HS of 100cm. Looks like increased winds this morning stiffened snow (4f) on top of less dense storm snow from last night, this extended down to a 1f layer at around 60 cm (12/5ish snow/wind?) which then softened to 4f at 55cm and then ran into 1.5-2 mm facets at 15cm. Results include CTE (2) Q1 at 90 cm and ECTN(3) PC around the same interface. A pit dug by the other group nearby on a NE face showed a HS of 88 and showed results of ECTP(14) SC. Stomped heavily on an E-facing slope around 38 degrees at treeline and produced cracks but slab appeared to be too soft, or bed surface too rough, to initiate a slide.