Grand Mesa

Avalanche

Rob Hunker · Apr 2, 2014 · Grand Mesa

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Weather

1300hrs; MC, NIL, 23F, 65%, SW/18mph; blowing snow, light wind transport

Snowpack

HS 68"(swe 84% of average)storm board blown clear; widespread thick surface dust layer with intermittent shallow slabs on top, approx 2" thick//Current highway avalanche risk: LOW// Overall, a weak snowpack for this time of year//Upper snowpack has 2 MF crust layers with small grain facets in between, plus the dust layer on top of the upper crust//cohesive midpack layer, but softening//basal small grain facets//Problem: failure of the faceted layer in-between the crusts with a storm load of 18”//Chance of lesser new snow amounts sluffing off the upper dust/crust layers.

Avalanche

isolated surface sluffing on the dust layer