Gunnison

Avalanche

Ethan Davis · Apr 10, 2014 · Gunnison

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Weather

Some early clouds thinned for a mostly clear day and warm day. Wind picked up around noon and began to move snow on ridge lines to 20-30 mph with some estimated gusts to 40 mph.

Snowpack

9,000': Very wet snow, dust on surface. Boot pen to 40 cm. 10,500' SW-S-SE: Upper 25 cm was very wet including both dust layers. Melt freeze crust 10 cm thick was still keeping the free water in this upper layer. Moist snow below the melt freeze crust to 100 cm (as low as I dug). Substantial ice layer observed down 60 cm. 11,600' SW-S: Thin melt freeze crust on surface, with dry snow below.

Avalanche

Natural wet loose avalanches running from near treeline northeast-facing slopes. One slab avalanche from a mid-path pocket near treeline on a west-facing slope on Gothic Mountain.