It's been a big start to February in the Abajo/Blue Mountains with more than 2' of snow containing 4.0"-5.0" of Snow Water Equivalent since Feb 1. This has been a tremendous load on the weak, underlying snowpack. Cory Noonan and Mathew Cozart were out and about over the weekend and they reported an avalanche in Buckboard Bowl that ran during the last storm cycle, likely around Feb 8. They also reproted collapsing in the snowpack, a red flag sign of instability as well as unstable test results. You can read more about their travels in this observation. All of this tells us that the snowpack has not yet adjusted to the load, and that you can still trigger a deep and dangerous avalanche. The danger is greatest on steep slopes facing NW-N-NE-E, and this terrain should still be avoided.

Buckboard Bowl avalanche from the last storm cycle. Photo by Cory Noonan.

NWS forecast for the Abajo Mountains.

Snow totals and temps at Buckboard Flat (8924')

Snow totals and temps at Camp Jackson (8858')