Gunnison

Snowpack

Ian Havlick · Dec 15, 2013 · Gunnison

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Weather

Clear and intense solar. Light west wind on ridge top, calm BTL.

Snowpack

Mix of wind ripple, wind board, and hard windslabs. Very supportable, almost styrofoamy, supportable even in trees/willows/traditional facet farms. Kicked several cornices which were P+ and extremely stubborn to move. Large blocks tumbling down slope did little more than entrain a small sluff. Several pits in open northeast slopes showed 2 distinct SH layers split by 1F slabs, and 4F 2-3mm facets near ground. 2 collapses, one while digging pit at 10,200', NE. The other was at ridge line. Stability tests were a mixed bag, but generally hard loading steps were req;d to get SH or DH/FC to fail.