Northern San Juan
SnowpackChris Bilbrey · Jan 20, 2019 · Northern San Juan
Weather
Cold start but warmed up quickly during the quick tour.
Snowpack
Traveled on east and southeast aspects up to 11,600 feet. Storm snow has settled and consolidated quickly, especially on southerly-facing slopes. Widespread surface hoar on wind-sheltered slopes in the range of 5 to 8 mm. No cracking in recent storm snow. Had a loud audible collapse near ridgeline. More visible crown lines from our last natural cycle to count on your hands and feet. Approx. 2 to 3 feet cohesive slab over weak, faceted, snow was the main snowpack concern on this day. ECTs produced propagating results with moderate force on facets near the ground. Test results show recent storm snow is bonding well to old snow interface. Snowpack continues to get deeper, but my gut tells me the snowpack is still trying to find equilibrium after our recent load.