Gunnison

Avalanche

Ben Pritchett · Jan 27, 2023 · Gunnison

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Observation photo 1

Weather

Snowed hard, between 1 to 2 inches an hour during the early afternoon. 7 inches of new snow by 2pm. Around noon the westerly winds picked up enough to transport snow.

Snowpack

The high intensity snowfall changed the upper snowpack dramatically and quickly. By early afternoon it became easy to push small avalanches on most slopes approaching 40 degrees. Where the southwest to west wind deposited this new snow, an avalanche would grow large enough to bury you.

Avalanche

I could easily push tiny Loose Dry avalanches on slopes approaching 40 degrees.