Southern San Juan
AvalancheKrista Beyer · Feb 24, 2025 · Southern San Juan
Weather
Warm and sunny with plenty of opportunity for skin glop on re-warming surfaces. The Columbus Basin weather station at 10,785 feet had a very mild freeze overnight and high temperatures during the day up to 42 degrees. Winds locally averaged 16 mph out of the west with gusts up to 45 mph, but were not felt in the deep east and north-facing valleys of Madden Creek.
Snowpack
The Valentine's weekend storm snow has shown significant settlement and sits as a cohesive slab above week grains. On north slopes near treeline, the slab sits above weak facets preserved during the November, December, and January drought periods. On east slopes this interface between new and old is interrupted by a thin melt-freeze crust that is slowly breaking down. A pit on an east slope below treeline had no propagating results (ECTPX). On a north slope near treeline and near ridgeline pit results showed moderate propagating results at the Valentine's slab/old snow interface (ECTP11).
Avalanche
It was challenging to discern any natural activity over the storm, but I did identify some Loose Wet avalanches, a couple pushing a larger size, on E-SE-S slopes.