Gunnison
AvalancheEric Murrow Zach Kinler · Feb 12, 2019 · Gunnison
Weather
Sunny skies and little to no wind below tree line. Temps in the mid to upper 20s.
Snowpack
Two snowpack structures from South and North that will certainly cause problems if our next loading event verifies. Multiple crust facet combs on South which produced propagating results in an ECT and a collapse on approach to the 25 degree slope. Slabs above and in between these interfaces range from 4F-1F. HS ~130cm. This test profile came from just above Kebler Pass road immediately above one of the ‘7 sisters’ slide paths. See picture. On a NE aspect with HS ~160cm we investigated a skier-triggered avalanche from yesterday. The avalanche failed on 6-8 mm SH(see picture) that was likely buried on 1/21 with a crown depth ~45cm(see picture). This was an unsupported, open slope with many large boulders, rolls and small benches with slope angles ~38-40 deg at the top and ~35 deg mid track. A test in an uncollapsed portion of the hangfire produced an ECTP14. The slide propagated into terrain as low as 30 deg. and ran 300-400 ft over the road to the creek. Debris was up to ~1m deep.
Avalanche
1x HS-N-R1D1-I S aspect BTL(several days old)