Gunnison

Snowpack

Zach Guy and Eric Murrow · Mar 11, 2025 · Gunnison

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Weather

Cloud cover increased to thin, broken skies with a greenhouse effect. Mild temps, calm winds. wind loading: none; recent snowfall (cm): 0

Snowpack

Several tests on NE aspects, both in sheltered terrain and previously windloaded terrain showed non-propagating results on the 3/3 interface, which was small grained (<.5mm) rounding facets.  Slabs were about 25 cm below treeline and about 45 cm below ridgeline, up to 4F hard.  The 2/8 interface produced propagating results with additional loading steps (foot stomps) under a 70 cm hard slab up to 1F.  See profile.   Variable snow surfaces are generally small-grained facets (<.5mm) on shady north aspects, with larger-grained (up to 1 to 1.5 mm) near-surface facets on NE aspects and larger-grained (up to 1.5 - 2.0 mm) radiation recrystallization facets on the north half of E aspects to a sunnier NE aspects.  The southern half of the compass held mature wet grains at the snow surface.  . No recent avalanche activity or signs of instability underfoot.