Northern San Juan

S1 snow and moderate to strong southwest winds throughout the day. Average speed was 19 mph with a peak gust of 63 mph at Putney weather station. 8.5 inches of snow at .65 SWE measured at Red Mountain Pass in the morning. snowfall throughout the day added another few inches to that total.

New snow sits above old surfaces that vary depending on elevation and aspect. Lower elevations (that hold coverage) that face more east or west have a firm, slick surface that new snow has not yet bonded to on steeper slopes. As you move towards more north aspects at upper elevations, old surfaces are softer and new snow appears to be bonding better. New snow was lower density where I traveled, and drifted snow was still soft, but stiffened slightly by wind. I found drifts up to 2 feet in depth, but they did not extend far below ridgeline or were isolated to gully features. Most of what I observed was a nice refresh for those still choosing to wander in the mountains. Upper elevations were challenging to access due to visibility.