Northern San Juan
SnowpackBrian Lazar · Mar 1, 2011 · Northern San Juan
Weather
warm (but a little cooler morning than forecast given the clear skies overnight). Calm, and clear skies.
Snowpack
Surface conditions are highly variable and a mixed bag. Evidence of the strong/intense SW winds that came with last storm evident everywhere, even BTL. There have been a few inches of new snow since last storm making coverage look more uniform from a distance than they are. Overall: spx consists of multiple hard slabs (P) with weak facet layers in between. Potential for step down avalanches exists in many/most locations ATL: The only slabs in the alpine are hard slabs, and these are highly variable and spotty in their locations. Most N'erthly slopes have been loaded, but the strong winds cross-loaded many terrain features. Will ski across hard slab for 20m, then punch down through top to bottom facets as you ski off it. Surface conditions are crusts, hard wind-scoured surface winds slabs, or scoured clean...not good bonding surfaces for new storm snow At and near TL: loading is complicated and patchy. Smaller hard slabs are in many places. Sun crusts on most terrain features not facing N. On more scoured slopes, things have faceted down to ground and you post-hole in your skis. BTL: Thin and weak snowpack, with crusts except on N aspects. Some near surface facets and settled storm snow in sheltered terrain features make for some good skiing still, but one must look carefully and thoughtfully for soft snow.