By Clayton Chaney
Staff Writer
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Water and Climate Center’s snowpack report, the Wolf Creek summit, at 11,000 feet of elevation, had 31.6 inches of snow water equivalent as of 2 p.m. on March 31.
That amount is 101 percent of the March 31 median for this site.
The average snow water equivalent for this date at the Wolf Creek summit is 31.2 inches.
The Wolf Creek summit is the only location in the San Miguel, Dolores, Animas and San Juan River Basins that is over 100 percent of the March 31 median in terms of snowpack.
According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC), as of 2 p.m. on March 31, the southern San Juan Mountains have a low avalanche danger rating.
The CAIC website notes that, “Avalanche conditions are generally safe, but there are a few hazards to consider.”
The CAIC advises to use caution around lingering pockets of wind-drifted snow on steeper terrain facing north to east.
For information on more current avalanche conditions, go to https://www.avalanche.state.co.us/forecasts/backcountry-avalanche/south-san-juan/.
