Northern San Juan

Avalanche

chris marshall · Feb 1, 2014 · Northern San Juan

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Weather

-5 to -10 C during the day. Light and intermittent winds from the W 1/4. NO to S-1 precip, tapering off by 1300 with TR accumulations. OVC -> BRK sky cover. 10,500' to 11,700'

Snowpack

Cement Creek. HST 50-60cm W, BTL: HS- ~80. 45-50cm PP slab (F -> 1F) on 2cm P MFcr on FC (no hardness taken, but pole probing indicated 4F ish). In some locations, the MFcr wasn't present. Structure stinks, but it took slope angle >37 degrees to get snow to move. S, TL: HS- ~110. 50cm PP slab (F -> 1F) on 2 cm P MFcr on 4F DHch, DH, resting on 15cm K IFbi. Lots of propagating collapses when traveling on that structure ~11,600 - 11,700. Multiple attempts to dig resulted in collapsing the WL entering the pit site. Didn't trust TL, ATL slopes with this structure.

Avalanche

W, BTL, 10,700': SS-AS-R1-D1-I. Failed on FC below 2cm MFcr 50cm down. Unsupported slope. 11,400': SS-U-R2-D1-I. Looked like skier tracks entering, but other party reported natural, so don't know. Failed on FC below storm slab. 25-40cm crown depth. 30' wide. Ran 200 vertical through trees. Didn't entrain FC below. E, BTL: 10,000': SS-N-R2-D1-I. 100' wide. Est 25-30cm crown depth. Ran 150'. W,SW ATL: SS-N-R1-D1-I. Est 100' wide. Cross loaded pocket just above TL.