Northern San Juan

Avalanche

Sheamus Croke · Feb 6, 2022 · Northern San Juan

Weather

Sunny, but cool temps. E wind the day before with transportable gusts and shifting W wind with mild gusts on the day of the tour.

Snowpack

Varied depending on aspect. Stiff and stable, midpack with soft wind slabs ATL. CIAC listed problem: dry loose.

Avalanche

1) (See photos 1 and 2) Four separate R1 D1 slab avalanches at ~13,200 ft. (assumed caused by wind compression?) on straight East aspect. All skier triggered (the first one by the party of two in front of us, the following 3 triggered by a ski cut. Slow to release and build momentum, but did not crown below ski (spooky). Burial did not seem major concern, but definitely large enough to carry. Thankfully terrain was mild in the path runout and the area where we were ski-cutting to was a much more stable-feeling S aspect. (Photo 1 of debris from first slide, photo 2 from third and fourth slides). Snow did not have much of a wind board on top and was generally soft to ski, sliding surface below slab was icey/firm. 2) (See photo 3) 12,800ft NE aspect, muggs-stump couloir lower section. Skier triggered soft wind slab with a sharper and less curved crown. Skiing was challenging with a slightly breakable and at times firm wind crust. Unintentionally triggered but was able to quickly ski out of slide to the left. Similar to slides described above the slide released above the skier, debris was soft and actually provided some of the best (mainly due to predictability) snow conditions of the day. Sliding surface below slab was firm and chalky, then faceted down lower. Thinner and barely breakable wind crust lower in the Apron.