Northern San Juan
AvalancheColin Mitchell · Mar 23, 2020 · Northern San Juan
Weather
Clouds moved in during the morning and snow began by noon. Started as S2+ but after an hour or so it diminished to S1 and stayed there for the rest of the tour. Despite the snow and overcast skies, the sun was trying to poke through intermittently.
Snowpack
Recent snows have started to settle into a slab, and a relatively soft 1-2 cm temperature/sun crust has formed on all but the shadiest areas up to about 11,000 feet. Beneath the recent snows were several layers of crusts and facets which formed during late February and early March. Below this were rounding facets 4f-1f hard to the ground. The crust/facet layers were reactive to long-column tests; ECTP 21 and 22 just below the first crust, and PST 40/100 at the interface between the lowest crust and the older, faceted snow below. As I got out of my skis to dig, I punched through the upper layers and collapsed the entire slope.
Avalanche
No new activity observed today.