Northern San Juan
SnowpackTroy Nordquist Jeff Davis · Mar 22, 2024 · Northern San Juan
Weather
The temperature rose quickly today despite increasing cloud cover and a slight breeze. Nearby Gold Hill Wx station peaked at 31 F at 3 pm. It was a beautiful spring day.
Snowpack
Melt-freeze crusts (MFCs) were present on below-treeline (BTL) slopes of every aspect. Below the crust the snowpack was hollow and rotten especially at lower elevations. Near-treeline (NTL) elevation band, northerly-facing terrain has retained dry, cold snow that is very aspect-dependent. On an easterly slope, a stout pencil-hard dirty brown crust of nearly fifteen cm was observed NTL. Below the crust layer, large near-surface facets are present, sitting atop a moist snowpack comprising the upper meter of snow that ranges from one-finger to pencil-hard. Last week's new snow has melted and has made its way through the upper crust, forming percolation columns that extend over 80 cm down. Snow surfaces were varied and rough with no sign of lingering surface hoar. No cracking no collapsing.