Southern San Juan
SnowpackJeremy Yanko · Dec 22, 2023 · Southern San Juan
Weather
Partly Cloudy, Calm and mild with high temperatures of 40F at ~10,500ft
Snowpack
Mostly a windshield tour but poked around at the toe of the Engineer paths on top of Coal Bank Pass and at the Molas study plot. The Coyote stake near King Mine is sitting at 18", Molas master at 14", West Lime stake at 20" and the Coal Bank plot is settled out with a height of snow at 15". The snowpack has been slow to build in this corridor so far this season and has retreated as well with the last 2 warm-ups, leaving some surface roughness-exposed rocks and even grass in some easterly facing paths that can pose a threat to the highway. Due north below treeline is easily the most vulnerable for small-large natural activity with the addition of 8-12", and especially if precipitation intensities are high (S2/S5) as the old interface is comprised of Near-surface facets and decomposing fragments. Easterly aspects at the below treeline elevation in this corridor have a 1F+ crust about 4cm thick with a small layer of DF dusted on top from the 1" that fell ~24 hours ago which could increase sensitivity at the new/old interface? Still anticipating bonding will be reasonably favorable with most old snow snow surface types for a not so typical December like weather regime we have experienced.