Northern San Juan

Avalanche

Jeff Davis · Jan 12, 2020 · Northern San Juan

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Weather

Clear, Cold and calm morning. Followed by a stormy and windy afternoon.

Snowpack

3 inches of snow fell overnight in Richmond basin. It was calm and clear to start the day, but winds picked up and snow started to fall around noon. Southwest winds were strong enough to move snow loading and cross-loading northerly and easterly slopes at all elevations. Many alpine slopes continue to be stripped or have a firm wind-board surface. With low density snow and strong winds the new snow is being transported a good distance down slope. Around an inch of snow accumulated today by 1 pm. As I exited on Camp Bird Road. I observed snow swirling loading and triggering small sluff avalanches above a popular ice climbs in the area.

Avalanche

Long running Loose snow avalanches on steep and rocky slopes.