Gunnison
AvalancheZach Guy · Feb 1, 2017 · Gunnison
Weather
Weather: Warm. Increasing thin clouds. Light winds below treeline.
Snowpack
Snowpack: Traveled in two areas near town that held similar snowpack structure to this observation. As we climbed above the inversion, slabs became less faceted, and the recent warming/settling has made the slabs denser and the surface hoar less reactive. Slightly harder and more propagation in tests (see photos), but we ski cut about 5 steep slopes and couldn't get anything to move or crack. These same types of slopes were very touchy last week, triggering was almost certain. It seems that instabilities are becoming more isolated, but greater potential for a slide breaking above a skier or a wider avalanche exists now at these locations. The persistent slab structure on SE aspects over the 1/19 interface is changing to a stack of thick crust over faceted snow. No concerns in the morning while the crusts were solidly frozen. Weak layers on the surface: Small surface hoar and/or near surface facets on most open, shaded aspects. Large surface hoar on a few isolated north facing slopes.
Avalanche
Avalanches: Lots of skier triggered rollerballs on ESE aspects BTL; their first moistening of the week. No new avalanches observed.