Northern San Juan

Avalanche

Jeremy Yanko · Mar 30, 2022 · Northern San Juan

Weather

Tree tops swaying, wind-drifts forming and brief intense periods of snowfall.

Snowpack

Surface conditions on the approach were cold and winter like, though quick to crust by mid-afternoon after lulls in showers and brief appearances from the sun. Liken the conditions upon departure as "sponge" like by feel and sound. HN24 measured at 10cm hovering around the 10,500ft mark below treeline. Three slope-scale collapases were achieved upon working up a 30 degree slope for snow pit obs, but no cracking revealed. First hole dug was on a just north of east slope at 10,850ft. The entire snowpack was moisture laden with various crusts of different strengths and thicknesses. Instability tests gave hard propagating test scores at this plot though the main layer of concern is only down 55cm, and Fist hard under the dense-heavy/moist slab. Heading onto due north just a skosh lower, the second pit has a height of snow at 150cm with the PWL down 45cm. There was far less moisture trapped in this profile and water perc seemed to be confined to the top 25cm, though some ice capillaries were discovered lower upon column isolation. Surprisingly, non propagating hard-test scores were recorded from this site though found it difficult to cleanly isolate a long column, possibly swaying accuracy.

Avalanche

Looked like the remnants of another Loose-Wet release to Wet-Slab step down from last weekend's warm up. Came out of a steep rocky point that pulled out a couple 4" diameter trees ending up on the surface of the debris pile.