Gunnison

Avalanche

Crested Butte Avalanche Center · Jan 7, 2015 · Gunnison

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Weather

WEATHER: Variable/Overcast, flat light, dry most of the day, Strong to Extreme, mostly N channeled down valley

Snowpack

In Old Growth timber: consistent & stable pack of ~120-135cm of well bonded snow. Bonding Tests: Location: NW, large living room sized opening in forest @ 10,400. Lots of tree bombs evident in the pit. 25 degree slope, ski pen 10-15cm. boot pen 30cm. Progressive hardness downwards except a 1 hardness change @ 70cm down on rounds/rounding facets interface DTH on ground (moist, dense (4F) cohesive facets, sticking to leaves, non repeatable) DTN CTH @ 70cm down on rounded slab (1F) & rounding facets interface (4F), Q2 (RP) CTN ETCX Skied slpoes up to 50 degrees with no instabilities

Avalanche

sled parking (valley floor along stream) got avalanched by a D1 windslab 30cm thick that formed while we were touring! Fairly recent slab D1.5 under the cliff band of Schuykill peak above pittsburgh rollers. Schuykill looks stripped in many places & very thin, highly variable. No other signs of instability on surrounding alpine peaks