Gunnison
AvalancheBen Pritchett · Feb 12, 2025 · Gunnison
Weather
Bitter cold. Northwest winds blew through the day, but they were more gusty, less efficient for drifting.
Snowpack
Supportive south-facing crusts held around a foot of recent snow that appeared well bonded to the new snow. East and west hold thinner crusts above facets which will become dangerous if we see thick slabs develop this weekend. Northerly slopes had a thin crust under the new snow near the valley floor, but transitioned to just a faceted interface above around 10,000 feet.
Avalanche
The natural activity from Tueday night's storm included numerous Loose Dry avalanches pouring out of cliffs. One of these triggered a small Storm Slab avalanche that didn't gouge. On north-facing slopes over 40 degrees, we could push the new snow as a loose avalanche that would gouge into the faceted old snow once it gained momentum.