Northern San Juan
AvalancheKarissa Sampson · Jan 4, 2019 · Northern San Juan
Weather
Sunny. Temps started at 5F just after sunrise and quickly rose to mid to high 20s. No wind.
Snowpack
Thin in Rocky areas. Loaded on some terrain up high. Obvious difference between the old layers and the newer storm layer which was acting like a crust with unconsolidated sugarary snow underneath.
Avalanche
Largest was on the First Gulley Route which is East/see facing and had an obvious crown about a foot deep and broke on lower angel terrain, more than 30 degrees but less than 45. It ran across the road. Other variable, small to medium, avalanches occured mostly on the east side of the valley on West and South West aspects above treeline. In total we saw around 20 avalanches in the area ranging from small sloughs to more significant slides down obvious Avy paths. Elevation around 10500 ft.