Gunnison

Avalanche

blase reardon · Mar 16, 2014 · Gunnison

View on map

Weather

Clear and cold in AM w plumes from NW visible on high peaks. Warming in sun, but winds picked up during the day and reached below treeline. Tracks/ skin track drifting partially in. Clouds moved in briefly early evening from NW.

Snowpack

Various snow surfaces. 5-10 cm recent & drifted snow on supportable crust (east) and settled snow (northerly). Some wind crusts. Pole tests on northerly showed progressively harder snowpack. Snowoack on northerly slopes in shaded basin faceted below ~10200'.

Avalanche

A few small (D1 facet sluffs at about 10,200' on 40* northerly slope on shaded side of narrow valley. Possibly a D1.5 thin windslab on steep NE face of Purple Peak (?). Possibly. Didn't see any other naturals on leeward slopes with obvious snow transport.