Gunnison

Snowpack

Josh Hirshberg · Dec 30, 2011 · Gunnison

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Weather

Overcast skies w/ clouds lifting off of ridgetops by 1pm then descending again by 4pm. Graupel fell throughout the day w/ 2cm new snow. N winds aloft. We saw moderate localized winds from ALL directions w/ some strong gusts. Moderate wind transport, but not much available snow

Snowpack

Small skier triggered point release occurred on a NE slope @ 12,200ft. Ran 500ft and was 20cm deep. Not a facet sluff. It ran much fasted -Cracks propagating up to 10m w/ collapse @ 2 different slopes 11,600ft on ENE and N asp. -Both occured @ interface of windslab & underlying facets 10-15cm below the surface. -Alpine & treeline N and NE slopes were variable in HS and had pockets of reactive windslab -S/SW slopes had mostly supportive sun crusts with underlying facets even above treeline.