Northern San Juan
AvalancheJeff Dobronyi · Jan 8, 2017 · Northern San Juan
Weather
Obscured skies, S1 all day with short bursts up to S2. S2 consistently around 1500 when stuck behind jackknifed truck on Coal Bank. Winds were moderate from SW, though we observed little blowing snow up to 11,600' above Ophir Pass road.
Snowpack
On an East aspect below and near treeeline directly above 550 south of Sam's. Snowpack was weak all the way through with easy pole penetration all the way to the ground. HS 120-140, very weak in upper 60 cm. Right side up except for 20cm above ground, no collapsing or whumphing observed. Hand shears in upper 30 cm showed unconsolidated HN24. No cracking observed in HST.
Avalanche
We triggered multiple R1 D1 loose dry avalanches on convex rollovers and slopes steeper than 35 degrees, E aspect below treeline. These seemed to entrain snow from the top 20cm of the snowpack. No crusts observed in snowpack on E or SE aspects where we were. At ~0840, we were driving underneath Eagle path when I saw a powder cloud above us, and I yelled for the driver to speed up.