Northern San Juan

Snowpack

Matt Huber · Mar 23, 2021 · Northern San Juan

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Weather

Skies were mostly cloudy with only brief pockets of blue, revealing convective buildup climbing high into the sky. Winds were generally calm with no blowing or drifting snow.

Snowpack

Above treeline, many slopes on many aspects are stripped and scoured. Cross-loaded slopes on the lee side of vertical ridges offer the most consistent coverage. 10 centimeter slabs of previously drifted snow can be found on these slopes but are stubborn and small. Near treeline, the surface is a 5 centimeter melt freeze crust with a dusting on top, supportable until its not. On westerly-facing slopes, the snowpack remains cold,dry and faceted below the crust with no other significant layers.