Northern San Juan
AvalancheJeff Davis · Feb 19, 2020 · Northern San Juan
Weather
Mostly cloudy skies, mild temperatures, and moderate southwest winds.
Snowpack
Recent winds have created a firm surface on many slopes. The surface slab ranges from 5-10 cm's and was breakable for the most part. Pockets of drifted snow observed in protected coulior features as well. We approached these firm surfaces and drifted pockets with caution on steep slopes. I did get one collapse in a dish feature on an open alpine slope. The snow cracked, but did not move. Southwest winds continue to move snow, but drifting was minimal.
Avalanche
A rider triggered a small D1 avalanche in a steep north facing coulior. The avalanche was small, but if he would have been caught had high consequence. The rider was the 3rd on the slope and triggered the slide on a steep loaded pocket. The pocket pulled out and ran the length of the coulior. I was also informed of a small skier triggered slide in Chattanooga on a north slope. Sounds like the avalanche was triggered in newly drifted snow and broke as a slab.