Northern San Juan
SnowpackMatt Steen · Feb 13, 2013 · Northern San Juan
Weather
Mostly clear skies ans mild temperatures through the day. Building clouds developed late afternoon along the northern portions of Red Mountain Pass.
Snowpack
Warming temperatures and direct sun exposure on steep rocky outcroppings produced loose snow avalanches on slopes that face the sun. These slides were generally small, and relatively harmless to people (R1-D1). Recent storm snow measured from 8 to 18 inches. Less amounts on low elevations below treeline, and higher amounts on sheltered slopes near treeline. On west to southwest facing slopes below treeline, new snow rested on a melt-freeze crust buried under the recent storm snow. On exposed slopes near treeline, and all slopes above treeline the snowpack was noticeably wind effected. Soft wind slabs were coupled with stiffer wind slabs on exposed terrain features. We did collapse a slope where this stiff wind slab was loaded on an exposed slope. The slab did crack with the weight of a skier. Rumbling sounds stretched for hundreds of feet with no slab movement.