Gunnison

Snowpack

Zach Guy · Jan 9, 2024 · Gunnison

Weather

Clouds increased through the day. Winds were light N/BTL, but steady moderate to strong speeds on Carbonate Hill, where there was ongoing snow transport. Most of it looked to be blowing into the atmosphere. Snowfall started around 4 p.m.

Snowpack

Below treeline: Still enough midpack left above 10k to prevent full-depth snowmobile pen and full depth sluff gouging. The top 30 cm is fist hard facets on W, N, E aspects. SE aspects BTL are a mix of dirt, faceted crusts, or just facets on colder features that catch more terrain shading. Most south aspects are dirt. Below ~10k, the snowpack is all fist hard and snowmobile pen is to the ground. Above treeline: Snow surfaces are hard (1F, P, K) windpacked rounds, presumably with some faceting at the surface. Convex and wind-exposed terrain features are often eroded down to or near the ground.