Gunnison

Snowpack

Ben Pritchett · Apr 15, 2020 · Gunnison

Weather

Blustery, with on and off again showers not amounting to much. Light blowing snow sustained all day. Temps staying just below freezing.

Snowpack

Observe widespread faceting in the upper snowpack at all elevations, which will make for a slipper surface for new snow on many steep slopes. Only wind-scoured slopes above treeline lack facets as of mid-day Wednesday. These windward slopes have old coral reef-textured surfaces which should provide a gritty surface for new snow. On previously sun-crusted SE-S-W facing slopes, the facets are fine grained (~<1mm) in a 1-3cm thick layer. Slick, but probably not a long-term problem. Near and above treeline on NW-E facing slopes, the facet layer is thicker and comprised of a small stack of faceted layers, with last weekend's snow having turned into large grained (~2mm) facets which might remain reactive for a little while longer once buried with a dense slab.