Southern San Juan
SnowpackChris Bilbrey · Dec 29, 2020 · Southern San Juan
Weather
Periods of sun, clouds, and light snow showers. Winds were generally light and out of the west. No measurable accumulations today in the southern half of range.
Snowpack
We found 6 to 8 inches from about 9,000 to 10,000 feet and measured 13 inches at 1.5 inches SWE at 10,000 feet. We were surprised to see the lack of natural avalanche activity on steeper slopes where a known weak structure exist. We did, however, remotely trigger a small, soft slab avalanche on a heavily vegetated slope from about 100 feet away. This, combined with the very many rumbling collapses confirms that buried weaker snow is being stressed by the new load. Stability test produced easy failures at the new snow/ old snow interface but similar moderate force failures on the 12/11 interface as before this recent storm. Don't be fooled by the lack of natural avalanche activity in this area. Plenty of shady, steeper terrain in the La Plata's harbor a weak lower snowpack structure and the overlying slab is slowly becoming thicker.