Northern San Juan
AvalancheAmy Pertuz · Dec 4, 2020 · Northern San Juan
Weather
Thursday was less frigid than Wednesday, but breezier. Steady NE winds were transporting Wednesday’s 4” of snow in some areas near alpine ridgelines, while others remained more protected. Blowing snow was not widespread enough to rearrange the alpine snow cover, but was enough to create small windslabs near the ridgeline in specific areas on Westerly aspects that more typically get stripped, and generally to mess up the ski quality a bit in the alpine.
Snowpack
Wednesday’s refresh, along with cold temperatures, improved skiing conditions. With ski pressure, small dry-loose slides in the new snow were at times gouging down into the facets in the upper snowpack ( ~16”) on Northerly below tree line shots steeper than 40 degrees. These were not running fast or far, but were entraining enough facets to be mindful of. In some places near and below tree line on Northerly slopes, Wednesday’s new snow sits on top of well preserved large surface hoar, which sits atop another ~10” of near surface facets. In these locations, the new snow was just enough (4”) to cover and preserve this surface hoar, but not enough load to make it react ( or settle much). This could potentially be even spicier than the near surface facets if it is able to persist through the forecasted stretch of Severe Clear weather..
Avalanche
A new size 1/1+ dry loose in Albany gulch on a Westerly aspect above tree line. This ridgeline was experiencing occasional moderate blowing snow. Ski triggered some size 1 dry-loose slides in steep Northwest terrain which entrained the near surface facets. No cracking/whumphing, or signs of slab activity.