Northern San Juan

I triggered three Persistent Slab avalanches on steep west and northwest-facing roadbanks below treeline. All were remote-triggered as I approached the slopes from below. Many other slopes we got to collapse but not release, and it seemed like slope steepness greater than 40 degrees was required for release. I spotted on significant large avalanche on northeast-facing terrain above treeline, but was overall suprised at how minimal natural activity was in this area.

Cold temperatures around zero degrees at daybreak. The sunshine felt warm, though, and quickly brought temperatures into the teens. Winds were light during the morning, with no active transport observed.

Reactive snowpack near and below treeline. I dug a pit at 11,800 feet on an east-facing slope, and as I stepped out of my skis, I felt the entire slope collapse beneath me (the biggest whump of the year for me). The pit revealed that in the last week, we have doubled our snowpack and built a thick 70cm slab over the very weak (Fist minus) snow that developed during our extended drought periods. I got two moderate propagating results (ECTP11 and ECTP15) below a thin melt-freeze crust that the 2/11 snow was well-bonded to. We now have a thick Persistent Slab problem that will be reactive to triggering in shady undisturbed areas.