Gunnison

Snowpack

Zach Guy · Dec 29, 2012 · Gunnison

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Weather

Temps rose to 30 degrees F, calm winds all day, light at ridgetop from S. High thin clouds most of the day minimized solar radiation and snow surfaces stayed dry.

Snowpack

Surface is fist to fist plus powder snow on all aspects, except at high elevations where we found thin 4F windslabs. Quick handpit on west aspect above treeline, 3' deep snowpack, showed sintering and necking in the basal weak layer (2mm facets) Thin (6-8") windslabs on classic stiffened pockets on above treeline west aspects not reactive to ski cut but cleaned out with 6lb airblasts, running on faceted DF's. (SS-AB-R1D1-I). Observed two natural avalanches on East/NE aspects above treeline on Ruby Ridge that likely occurred yesterday afternoon; (4-5 ft deep, 150 ft wide, R2D2); appeared to fail on Dec 3rd near-surface facets. Also, two small natural soft slabs that occurred yesterday; R1D1 (~8-12" deep, 30-80 ft wide) on SE near treeline and S above treeline running on Christmas crust.