Southern San Juan
AvalancheMatt Huber Chris Bilbrey · Mar 12, 2021 · Southern San Juan
Weather
Strong southwest winds made for blustery travel on ridgelines and in the upper elevations. Once out of the wind though the mid-March sun was in full force with temperatures in the upper twenties by early afternoon. Skies were mostly clear for the entire trip.
Snowpack
Strong southwest winds drifted snow into small, stubborn windslabs and cornices at ridgeline on northeast-facing slopes. Signs of wind-affected snow quickly faded below ridgeline and fresh wind slabs at this elevation were harmless. Recent snow has settled into about 20-30 cm and is fist+, Extended column tests produce hard propagating results on a buried facet layer sitting on a hard wind layer, about 50 centimeters below the surface. Snowpack depth was 175 centimeters at this site, near treeline on a northeast aspect.
Avalanche
A few isolated, wind-drifted pockets below ridgelines on northeast aspects failed naturally. These were small and shallow.