Northern San Juan
AvalancheJeff Davis Ann Mellick · Jan 17, 2019 · Northern San Juan
Weather
Windy at pass level and nuking in the high country. Temperatures mild with mostly cloudy skies.
Snowpack
New snow from the past few days settling as temperatures warm at lower elevations. Strong winds today loaded and cross-loaded leeward slopes. Slabs building near and above treeline. No cracking or collapsing observed on the lower angle slopes below treeline.
Avalanche
Natural avalanches observed this morning on slopes from Coal Bank to Ironton. We even observed a natural avalanche running on a cross-loaded southeast facing slope above treeline. With a large winter storm in the forecast we can expect more natural activity in the recent storm snow and avalanches breaking on buried layers, or the ground. This season we have seen avalanches with wide propagation, remote triggers, repeaters, and now we are starting to see larger paths run full track. The number of natural avalanches we have observed with every additional load has me turning gray. Please note that many of the slides noted in this observation are coded in separate observations.