Northern San Juan
AvalancheJason Bushey · Feb 24, 2019 · Northern San Juan
Weather
Partly sunny. Bursts of heat throughout day when cloud cover diminished, most prominent between 2-3pm when S and W aspects got first major warming event since storm. No wind loading observed.
Snowpack
North facing BTL HS 260. Pit depth 120cm. Observed 2 layers on shovel shear test 55cm and 80cm below surface, with broken planer cuts. Nonreactive to ECT. Ski pen 20cm, boot pen 40cm. Skied BTL N facing 30-40 degree slopes that had not previously slid with no signs of instability. E facing cornices seemed to be brittle with some cornices broken on NE and E facing aspects. No wind loading on 2/24. Also E and SE aspects observed surface crust below treeline. S aspects had 10-15cm ski pen on top but punchy with pole plants 20-30cm down. Warming occurred between 2-3pm. No collapsing, cracking observed on any aspect.
Avalanche
Natural occurring D2 (R1-2) dry slab avalanche avalanche observed on S aspect over Ophir Pass Road. The second closest path to 550. Occurred between 4pm 2/23 and 1pm 2/24, estimated morning 2/24.