Gunnison

Avalanche

Ben Pritchett · Mar 22, 2018 · Gunnison

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Weather

Overcast, snow showers, light to moderate winds from the west.

Snowpack

I had visited this area two weeks prior. The warm temperatures have strengthened the snow surfaces in drifts, but without some mechanical disturbance (avalanches, old tracks, wind drifts...) the snow remains very weak overall. In the alpine, east to south aspects harbor a nasty crust facet combination, down ~15cm that repeatedly produced propagating ECT's. It will be a significant layer of concern if this storm produces a significant load. Transitioning to the North side of east in drifted locations changed the upper snowpack dramatically. The facets are rounding and bonding and repeated could not get cracks to propagate (ECTX). Lower Cement Creek is nearly spring time. Lots of mud until you get beyond Cement Creek Ranch, with an overall isothermal snowpack where snow remains.

Avalanche

None