Southern San Juan

Snowpack

john morrone · Dec 11, 2013 · Southern San Juan

View on map

Weather

another blue bird day, temps began at about 10F, and remained below freezing all day. light sun crusts formed on s slopes below 10,000' winds remained light all day.

Snowpack

light powder from last storm began to change from loose snow characteristics and begin to form soft cohesive slabs. widespread womphing and collapsing (but with only minor propagating fractures) E-S-W and occasionally N facing slopes. quick trailside tests revealed buried surface hoar (commonly on sun crusts on S-SW facing) with Q1 planar surfaces (see photo) no evidence of natural avalanches in last 2 days. avoided any slopes >30 degrees, so no "test" slope data