Gunnison

Avalanche

Zach Guy · Dec 25, 2014 · Gunnison

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Weather

Surprisingly calm winds. No snow transport observed off of high peaks. Generally broken skies. Periods of heavy snow (S3 +) with lulls between snow pulses. About 5 or 6" of new snow accumulated through the day.

Snowpack

New snow fell very low density and unaffected by wind. About 12-18" of recent soft slab (fist + to 4F) over the Dec 13th facet layer, which is basically a faceted conglomerate of all snow prior to Dec 13th to the ground. Lots of collapsing when traveling low angle terrain, and a NE facing slope fractured wall to wall but didn't slide...just spiderweb cracks down to the facet layer.

Avalanche

Observed 3 or 4 recent avalanches running on the facet layer on North or Northeast aspects below treeline. About a foot deep, failing full width of their relatively small paths, but small in destructive size (D1 to 1.5's). SS-N-R2/3-D1/1.5-O