San Juan Stoke 12/13

[FiveLarge]

I don't know that they took DPS off the problem list because the snowpack went isothermal. I've read in their reports that it could come back into play with a bigger storm cycle. I'd also say watch out for a more significant wet-loose cycle. There are still plenty of weaker layers.

[Alpinord]

More accurately:

“The persistent slab problem was removed in the Saturday forecast for the North San Juan’s under forecast discussion.”

It certainly could come back if the load increases.


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[KenJongIll]

Heading to T-ride next week. Would it be stupid to take the Bibbys vs Bonafides? I know conditions aren’t great. Forecast sounds like a crapshoot. Not carrying two pairs and would be willing to demo if what I bring isn’t right.
Thanks
A Jong


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[Alpinord]

Heading to T-ride next week. Would it be stupid to take the Bibbys vs Bonafides? I know conditions aren’t great. Forecast sounds like a crapshoot. Not carrying two pairs and would be willing to demo if what I bring isn’t right.
Thanks
A Jong


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The Bonfides ought get you around fine.


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[KenJongIll]

The Bonfides ought get you around fine.


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Yeah but I want to ski my Bibbys....

[skier666]

Slam them both into the ski bag

My vote is for Bibbys but I'm more than bias

[Alpinord]

Yeah but I want to ski my Bibbys....

Yeah, well North Koreans want iPhones! Bring snow with the Bibbys.

(This is an argument for inserts, spooned skis and one pair of bindings in your ski bag.)


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[KenJongIll]

Fuck it. Bibbys are in the bag. Hopefully someone in town will be able to tune and wax over night cause they need work.

I haven’t skied in two years. Should be a shit show.

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[uglymoney]

Fuck it. Bibbys are in the bag. Hopefully someone in town will be able to tune and wax over night cause they need work.

I haven’t skied in two years. Should be a shit show.

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You can't bring both? Dual ski bag. Airlines don't care. We skied 80 ish till it snowed then 115 ish.

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[skier666]

I'm more than happy just skiing the 112mm Deathwish there. My wife has only one pair of skis...the new Bibby Tour.

[KenJongIll]

I’ve got a double bag, but it’s honestly a pain in the ass with two pairs. Plus I fill it with clothes.
I’ve I need to go narrower I’ve got no problem demoing


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[uglymoney]

I’ve got a double bag, but it’s honestly a pain in the ass with two pairs. Plus I fill it with clothes.
I’ve I need to go narrower I’ve got no problem demoing


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Fair enough. It is just my internal midwestern ice hound with aging knees speaking up.

I had my little tuning kit working overtime when we were there. The snow was great chalk most places but everyone appreciated fresh edges and narrow waists on the harder spots until it snowed. I was 70 percent Brahma 30 percent BG.

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[KenJongIll]

Looks like I’ve fucked up. DrySlotted from hell today. but no way I’m repacking that bag. Hoping for a miracle from ullr.


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[skier666]

Full report from end of February:

https://snowbrains.com/ski-week-slayin-telluride-2018/

[Fritz]

Strong work on the video.

[Mudfoot]

Just got back to Durango and wondering if there is enough snow to go bc skiing this weekend. Purg and Silverton web cams look bleak. Anybody up on Ophir Pass this week? How about Velocity Basin? I know the dust event yesterday will not improve things, but I'm hoping for a few more turns. Is it worth the effort or has the window closed?

[Alpinord]

Dual posting (CO Weather thread) Mudfoot and I received from a friend:

A friend forwarded this from The Center for Snow and Avalanche Studies
in Silverton:

Greetings from Silverton,

The morning of Thursday, April 12 started off with dust storm warnings in the desert southwest. We watched as web cameras showed the clouds and dust moving towards Colorado. In the Four Corners region high winds and dry dusty clouds were widely reported, folks could "taste" the dust in the air and feel the dust in their eyes. Phil Straub (CSAS employee) was at the Opus hut (San Juan Mts.) during the event and said it looked apocalyptic from about 4pm until the sun went down. The majority of the event was deposited dry in the San Juan Mts., without precipitation, on top of dust layers D3/D4 which were already on the surface of the snowpack. This event looks to be widespread with reliable reports describing a super dusty Vail Pass and Vail Mtn of red/brown/rust coloration. Even reports of dust on vehicles in Boulder. Starting around 8pm precipitation followed the dust and high winds, we received 0.5" (13 mm) of water content at Swamp Angel and snow is in the forecast the rest of today and tonight. Currently, D3/D4/D5 are combined into one layer and sitting ~7" below the snow surface at Swamp Angel. After the storm passes we will sample the dust at Swampy and get revealing pictures of the severity of the event.


The CODOS team conducted a portion of the April CODOS tour on April 11. Sites visited were on the Front Range, Hoosier, Grizzly, Berthoud, and Willow Creek Pass. We opted to delay sampling at the rest of the CODOS sites until after this current storm passes in order to assess the range and intensity of D5.


You can expect a full April CODOS Tour report by the first part of next week.


More soon







Above: Abajo dust camera for April 12.



Phil Straub took above photo from near Opus Hut in San Juans.



​​ Phil Straub took above photo from near Opus Hut in San Juans.



(AKA, the site of the Mudfoot slide last May)

Hard to tell on dust levels but the sky was covered yesterday. Makes me wonder if leeward slopes are marginally OK.

The Opus Hut location taken from the opposite side in this post, photo 7.

[uglymoney]

Gif from March

[uglymoney]

Watching the fire scene closely down there and thinking about all you San Juaners'. We have a Weminuche backpack planned for the second week in July. Hoping this weather pattern changes because I am not going to walk my eight year old into a tinderbox but super excited about our planned route/itinerary.

Horse Park Fire Info

https://www.facebook.com/sanmiguelco...TtCV_WYTqhrjbs

[Alpinord]

Watching the fire scene closely down there and thinking about all you San Juaners'. We have a Weminuche backpack planned for the second week in July. Hoping this weather pattern changes because I am not going to walk my eight year old into a tinderbox but super excited about our planned route/itinerary.

If things go remotely close to normal, the monsoonal flows generally start early July. You could have the reverse issue, especially if Mother Nature tries to balance things out in a big way.

The 358 Fire was 3 miles from my place. It was started by someone firing their gun. 50 Acres burned and it closed the road which forced cancellation of the La Strada, La Plata gravel ride leg of the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic. 400 homes were on alert and a chunk of those were on pre-evac notice.

Shot from my terrace Friday:



And a drive by after it was out yesterday while driving the La Strada La Plata route:



They got after this one early with slurry choppers and 80??? fighters on the ground. This was 3 weeks earlier than the 2002 Missionary Ridge fire that consumed 70,000 acres and lots of homes.

[Shredhead]

Up in the Elks, we’re about 3-4 weeks ahead of normal.
Hopefully the monsoon starts soon!

[Alpinord]

Stage 2 Fire restrictions take effect 6/1/18, tomorrow:

Stage 2 restrictions

Stage 2 restrictions in La Plata County include:

• No campfires, including in developed campgrounds and recreation areas.
• No charcoal or coal barbecues or wood-burning stoves.
• Gas, pressurized canister powered stoves with shut-off valves are allowed if they are at least 3 feet away from flammable material such as grass.
• No open burning, burn barrels or agricultural burns without prior approval.
• No smoking, except for in a building or vehicle.
• No welding, use of open-flame torches, pipe-fitting, or metal grinding without a fire-watch official present with proper mitigation tools. Oil and gas welding and cutting operations can be done only in an area with a radius of at least 20 feet from all flammable materials.
• No use of equipment with an internal combustion engine without a properly installed spark arresting device, including chain saws, ATVs and generators.
• No use of chain saws without a spark-arresting device and a readily accessible fire extinguisher and shovel.
• No explosives such as fireworks and tracer round bullets.

Note that agencies such as the Forest Service may have different restrictions. In the San Juan National Forest:

• No traveling off marked roads, trails and parking areas in cars or off-road vehicles.
• Discharging a firearm, air rifle or gas gun is prohibited on all land in the San Juan National Forest.

FYI, The 2002 Missionary Ridge fire was believed to have been started by a catalytic converter from a car parked over dry grass on the side of Missionary Ridge Road.

[Alpinord]

Grrrrrr! Yet another fire north of Hermosa with winds blowing and increased winds forecast.

Update: Mandatory evacuations are happening. 550 is closed. 200 plus acres and growing.

[skier666]

I'll be around Telluride on and off from end of June through 3rd week of July if anyone wants to search for snow, join for a hike or just cocktail it up

My guess based on the season's lack of snow that Imogene may be the only place for turns...I'll still search around Alta Lakes (like the last few years) in early July. Hell, I may just have to rent a mountain bike.

[phishstx]

I'll be in Telluride July 2-9, up to find some remaining snow. I've never made it out to Imogene/Savage Basin, but was thinking of trying Alta Lakes again as well. I'll shoot over a DM.