Gunnison
SnowpackZach Guy · Mar 5, 2013 · Gunnison
Weather
Clear to thin few all day. Ridgetop wind speeds in the teens all day, with max gust to 31 mph. No snow transport. Temperatures rose to 37°F at 10,000 ft and 24°F at 12,000ft.
Snowpack
Snowpack: Surface became moist or wet from SE to W aspects all the way to 12,000 ft. Settled storm snow varies from 4â€-16†(F+ to 4F) depending on wind loading. It sits on melt-freeze crusts or windpacked grains. 5 test profiles on SE, W, SW aspects near and above treeline all showing good bond with these interfaces with no failures or shears in tests. Stability tests showing moderate Q2 and Q3 fractures in density differences within the storm snow, nothing that propagated across extended columns. (CTM, ECTN 15ish). Noted poor structure beginning to develop in upper elevation W slopes that have been scoured and shallow all season with a 1 foot slab developing over facets and large depth hoar. See profile. Avalanches: Hand shots on above treeline SE, SW, and W produced no significant results, a couple harmless 4†slabs within the new snow that propagated less than 20 feet. We ski cut alot of terrain without cracking or collapsing. In the Ruby Range, one natural soft slab off of Mt. Owen NE face that probably failed yesterday either within the storm snow or at the interface (SS-N-R2-D2-U) and a couple small wet loose slides today.