Gunnison

Snowpack

Ben Pritchett · Feb 7, 2019 · Gunnison

View on map

Weather

Brutally cold, but at least it was windy. Hoped for some late day visibility, but it never happened.

Snowpack

Rapidly changing conditions. Winds and bitter cold changed AM powder to PM chalk. Slabs stiffening, appearing to peak in sensitivity mid-afternoon today. Pushed on a small drifted slope and triggered it very easily on the way up. With more drifting and stiffer textures on the way down it was still reactive, but took more effort to pop the drifts loose. Over a dozen booming collapses that shook meadows while climbing southeast aspects near treeline. Dug and found moderate ECTP results on facets above a thin melt-freeze crust down 40cm. (Note: similar results to yesterday at Monarch Pass, but it failed below the crust at that location.)