Southern San Juan
SnowpackChris Bilbrey · Apr 3, 2021 · Southern San Juan
Weather
Warmest day of 2021. Measured air temperature of 45F at 1130 around 11,400 feet. Clear skies in the morning with popcorn cumulus clouds by early-afternoon. Winds were generally light above treeline and calm at lower elevations.
Snowpack
The snowpack below treeline continues to get wetter and worked over by warm temperatures becoming more rotten each day without a freeze. Slopes with a clear view of the sky had a thin frozen surface layer this morning. On heavily treed slopes, we easily punched through on skis even in shaded areas. Warm, wet snow surfaces were encountered at all elevation bands and up to 12,300 feet on slopes facing east through south to west. Even northerly-facing slopes near treeline are being impacted by the heat, with the top 3 to 5 cm's becoming moist by the afternoon. Only alpine slopes facing north have not been influenced by the heat. Steep, sunny slopes were punchier than lower-angled slopes at similar elevation. Loose wet and wet slab activity we observed was concentrated around cliff bands or on rocky slopes. Descending a south-facing below treeline slope in the afternoon was down right treacherous with moments of post holing up to 2 feet deep into fully unconsolidated wet snow.