Northern San Juan
SnowpackChris Dickson · Jan 10, 2025 · Northern San Juan
Weather
A cold morning gave way to increasing ambients temperatures and strong sunshine. In this area, winds were light out of the north, and I didn't observe any wind transport.
Snowpack
Below treeline, the snowpack is largely weak and cohesionless. I traveled intentionally into untracked willowy areas, and could not buy a whumph. No cracking or collpasing as I ascended below treeline. But, in a pit at treeline on an east-facing slope, I found a 4-finger hard slab of more recent snow, sitting above the December drought layer. An extended column test yielded a result of ECTP17. This type of terrain presents the sweet spot for where you could trigger an avalanche in this area. Above treeline, winds molded newer snow into stiffer 1-finger hard slabs in the midpack which were unreactive in long column tests. Surface conditions above treeline were a mix of soft wind-ripple and stiffer wind-skin.