Gunnison

Snowpack

Zach Guy · Dec 19, 2012 · Gunnison

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Weather

We caught our first glimpse of blue sky in almost a week this morning before light snowfall, overcast skies, moderate to strong winds, and frigid temps moved in from the northwest this afternoon.

Snowpack

Slab over weak faceted structure remains on westerly aspects near and below treeline, but the slab is stiffening due to settlement and previous winds, and increasing in size up to 4 feet. Experienced several large collapses on lower angle terrain facing west. Southwest, south, and southeast aspects are primarily just December’s snow; forming a right-side-up snowpack (1F or 4F at bottom, up to F at surface), with no concerning persistent weak layers. Surface across all terrain is precip particles (Fist, ~8 - 12” deep) and supportive below on skis. Boot pen much deeper (~24 - 30”). Study plot: HS 36”, 1” (.1” water) since this a.m., on top of 8” (.7” water) that fell over night. Two skier triggered avalanches on on W aspects below treeline on small terrain features (D1.5, up to 3 ft slab depths) Several explosive routes on West to SW aspects near and below treeline produced no results.