Gunnison

Snowpack

Zach Guy · Mar 3, 2013 · Gunnison

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Weather

Broken increasing to overcast by mid morning. Temps rose from a low of 16F to 32F at 10,000 ft, and held steady in the low-20’s at 12,000 ft. Light snowfall began around 11:00 a.m. and continued intermittently through the rest of the day. 1" accumulation. Wind speeds averaged 20-25 mph through the day from the WSW, with gusts mostly in to the 40’s and max gust of 62mph. Moderate snow transport at ridgetop.

Snowpack

Snowpack: Snow surface is meltfreeze crusts on E through S through W aspects below treeline, as well as on steep SE, S, SW aspects above treeline. Stiff wind packed particles and sastrugi in areas that were not baked yesterday. One test profile on a near treeline west slope showed 25 cm of 4F+ windslab over 4F Decomposing/Fragmented particles. Moderate initiation and broken fractures with no propagation (ECTN11, CT11, B). Avalanches: Aggressive explosive mitigation on previously crossloaded W/SW terrain near/above treeline produced no results. Windslabs that were touchy on Friday were unreactive today.