Southern San Juan

Avalanche

Chris Bilbrey · Apr 21, 2022 · Southern San Juan

Weather

Warm, sunny day with a periodic light breeze. In the last week, many snow bridges have disappeared and creeks are running full requiring strategic crossings.

Snowpack

Today in the mountains was all about timing. It was a good day to start early, end early, and avoid steeper terrain while descending through lower elevations. We encountered a firm, supportive snow surface despite overnight low temperatures barley dipping below freezing if at all. The thin refrozen "egg shell" layer did not prevent the inevitable and the snow surface quickly warmed becoming wet and soft. By midday, we found 3 to 4 inches of wet snow on southerly slopes resting above a harder crust/ melt form layer cake. While booting up south-facing terrain, boot penetration was only a couple inches deep. However, as we climbed above 13,000 feet, we encountered isolated areas where the top foot of snow was punchier and more rotten than on the same slope between about 11,800 and 13,000 feet. We hypothesize that higher alpine slopes have seen fewer above freezing days this spring, and are slower to adjust to the current warm-up. A quick hand pit in a north-facing alpine start zone revealed a dry snowpack with only a thin surface layer showing signs of moistening. Recent strong west-southwest wind has left the snow surface dirty and dust-laden. Snow cover extent continues to deplete quickly in the La Plata Mountains making it feel more like mid-May versus mid-April.

Avalanche

Numerous Loose Wet avalanches on east to south through west aspects that looked to run earlier in the week during consecutive nights of non-freezing temperatures. All range from size 1-1.5.