Northern San Juan

Avalanche

Ann Mellick · Dec 18, 2020 · Northern San Juan

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Weather

Sunny and snowing lightly with our most recent storm pealing away from the peaks. Calm winds.

Snowpack

Snow from the series of storms over the last week and a half is really adding up- roughly doubling the overall height of snow. This incremental loading continues to stress the midpack weak layer and the most recent storm snow triggered a handful of fresh slab avalanches today. Snowpit tests also show propagating results with only mid-range effort. New snow has bonded to the old snow surface better on sunny slopes below treeline than shady ones. Shady slopes remain suspect at all elevations. The snowpack is ripe for human triggering.

Avalanche

Lots of loose slides running on firmer midpack layer on west and southerly terrain that got a hit of sunshine today. All D1s. Handful of fresh slabs(coded below). No observed slides have stepped down below the midpack (only involve newer snow).