Southern San Juan
SnowpackSteve Delaney, Alex Haddad · Dec 9, 2025 · Southern San Juan
Weather
Clear to partly sunny with temperatures in the LOW 30s. The wind was blowing from the north at 5-10 miles per hour.
Snowpack
On a north-facing slope at 11,640 feet the (HS) was 70 centimeters. It consisted of a soft surface layer with near-surface facets, approximately 10 centimeters thick. Under the surface, the snow progressively became harder until it reached the buried surface hoar layer at a depth of 40-45 centimeters. This layer would typically be our area of concern, but during stability tests, we saw no propagation and a score of ECTN30 in that layer. There was no sign of a cohesive slab anywhere in our observation area. The bottom of our snowpack consisted of rounds and faceting rounds near the ground.