Northern San Juan

Snowpack

Ann Mellick · Jan 26, 2011 · Northern San Juan

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Weather

mostly clear, calm, and mild

Snowpack

Recent winds have created variable conditions up high and moved lots of snow over the past week or so. Incredibly variable snowpack in near and above treleine areas. Some areas 2m deep, while others have weeds sticking through. Lots of hard slab and sustrugi. Shady, sheltered slopes below treeline areas continue to show weak structure, but not so much tension. Skier triggered soft slabs or loose sluffs possible on very steep slopes there. Near treeline easterly slopes showing most instability with 3 fresh slabs that slid in the past 2 days. See avalanche section for details.