Northern San Juan

Snowpack

20-60 cm new snow, including last weeks 15-20cm, sitting on top of a lot of facets. Easy shears at new/old interface. Snowpack was collapsing with large rumbles every 100-200' on skin track up. Skied low angle terrain and worked through dark timber towards Irene's. We had to cross a small feeder path that is still a part of Niagara to then re-enter dark timber to ski out to low angle at bottom of Irene's. As I entered path got a large collapse and skied to safe spot. Partner hollered that it propagated 1400' clear to top of path (through tons of small trees as path doesn't run often and is growing back)and then 1600' over a ridge into the Irene drainage, pulling out a large portion of that path. Irene's ran over 2000' and the small Niagara feeder path ran around 1000'. Needless to say, good solid safety protocols and terrain management is mandatory with current conditions. I'll get photos tomorrow when light is better on path and put in this OB.