Southern San Juan
SnowpackChris Bilbrey · Jan 14, 2019 · Southern San Juan
Weather
Beautiful sunny day with a few passing clouds in the afternoon.
Snowpack
Isolated rumbling collapses on north-facing slopes with snow falling off trees, but no surface cracking. Collapses were observed on same slope after ECTs in snowpit produced non-propagating result on November facets and CTs produced moderate failures on same weak layer. Recent low-density storm snow produced minor sluffing on north and east-facing slopes in steeper terrain from kicking cornices. Overall good bonding of new snow to old snow surface. Surface snow was consolidating quickly on east, south, and west-facing slopes by mid-afternoon with small loose dry slides initiating from steep, rocky terrain above treeline. Despite reduced evidence of instability in terrain where we traveled, weak structure below thick and stiff slab exists on most slopes. Recent activity highlights slopes where suspect weak layers most likely lurk. Slopes where November facets are buried under 1+ m of snow are beginning to round and gain strength. Observed numerous old avalanches that most likely ran during 1/6-1/7 cycle and one remote triggered avalanche on SE aspect from a snowcat operating on an adjacent slope.