Northern San Juan
SnowpackAnn Melick Jeff Davis · Dec 23, 2019 · Northern San Juan
Weather
Cool with high overcast and steady south wind.
Snowpack
Similar findings today in the alpine as we have been talking about for a week: wind swept ridgelines and hard wind slabs of variable thickness sitting on basal facets. These slabs have not proven reactive (no recent slides) though snow structure remains poor with snowpit tests failing in the mid to hard range (ECTP 20, 22). Slabs are stubborn, but could be triggered from the right (wrong?) spot... We have not spent much time this far north in the range and found the snowpack to be overall thinner and weaker than areas further south and/or west. HS below tl averaged 50 to 70 cm and was faceting from top to bottom on shady slopes below tl.