Gunnison

Snowpack

On north-facing open slopes below treeline (~20 degree slope angles): Snowpack consists of 30 to 60 cm of weak faceted snow under a soft slab of 20 to 30 cm. A 1-2 mm rime crust caps the slab with quickly accumulating new snow above (~7cm at 1 pm, S2 since 10am). Whumphing on every slope, with many collapses propagating across entire slopes with cracks appearing and tree branches shaking up to 40 m away. Stability tests also show easy initiation and lots of propagation potential: ECTP3 Q1 (SC) on the interface of the soft slab and faceted snow. Slab is mostly supportable on skis, but foot penetration is to the ground.