Northern San Juan

Avalanche

Andy Gleason · Jan 9, 2015 · Northern San Juan

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Weather

Clear calm

Snowpack

Facets at all elevations with weakest snow near valley bottoms due to inversion. Surface hoar up to 6mm even in the trees and up 12200'. WInd slabs at treeline are faceting at surface due to diurnal recrystallization. At 11800 NW aspect 32 degree slope= CT-16 Q1 at 30 cm in a 60 cm snowpack of facets with little to no slab as surface snow has faceted. Weak layer was advanced facets up to 3mm. At valley bottoms below 11000' very weak and unsupportable snowpack. Will be problematic with next heavy load of new snow.

Avalanche

1 WL-N-1-G on east aspect at 10800' on Coal Bank Pass that ran before 200pm today. We saw numerous WL-N 1 slides above treeline on S,E and W aspects but they probably ran earlier in the week.