Gunnison

Snowpack

Josh Hirshberg · Feb 5, 2013 · Gunnison

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Weather

Calm wind. Temps climbed just above freezing. Clear skies and strong solar radiation.

Snowpack

Obvious wind affect from the past week on many surfaces at all elevations. Saw much more wind affect below treeline in Washington Gulch and East River valleys than in the Slate River and Oh Be Joyful valleys. Surface facets and surface hoar on shaded slopes. Ski pen on N-E was 10cm. Average HS was 110cm. The surface of sunny slopes (SE-S-W) got heavy and wet even in low angle terrain. Skiing was fast and supportive. Ski cut a couple small loaded and cross-loaded features with no results. Saw lots of avalanche activity from the past 5 days on Schuylkill ridge, the E face of Gothic and Coney’s. Mostly occurring on N-E-S and mostly near and above treeline, though many below treeline on N-E.