Northern San Juan

Snowpack

Ann Mellick · Apr 5, 2011 · Northern San Juan

Weather

sunny and mild, with gusty south winds above treeline

Snowpack

More of the same story: transitional and aspect/elevation dependent. However, we really have rounded the bend into spring and things generally feeling much less spooky. High northerly terrains still holds a stack of colder windslabs, but it has been quite some time since these have been reactive. Sunnier slopes at all elevations have pretty stout surface crusts. Of note on west aspects near and below tl: a weak interface exists between thin (~1") surface crust on top of 3" of newer snow on top of thick older crust from last week's warm wx. Upper crust easily popped out with skier's weight, esp at switchbacks. This layer may become reactive with a big new load, but the problem would remain the same: new snow sliding on older settled snow. That will be our bottom line problem on all aspects and elevations with the incoming storm. Gusty southerly winds were moving snow, but not building slab. Winds kept snow surface cooler at higher elevations. Some monster cornices line northerly ridgelines. It has not been warm enough for mass failure of these yet, but when we do hit that warmth threshold- watch out! Getting quite goopy at lower elevations, but drainage established, so no problems there. LOTS of rollers and surface sluffing on ALL aspects near and below tl and sunnier slopes above tl.