Gunnison
SnowpackJosh Hirshberg · Mar 1, 2013 · Gunnison
Weather
Overcast becoming scattered with some thin low. Much warmer than the past few days but only reaching a high of -5°C. Calm in the AM below treeline. Above Treeline- moderate N winds w/ strong gusts. Moderate blowing snow.
Snowpack
Overnight HST ranged from 5-10cm. Snow surface ranged near surface facets, wind packet grains, crusts, and moist snow. Only the steeper, most sun exposed slopes below 11,500ft were getting moist. Cool temps, consistent breezes, and clouds kept solar effects highly variable. At 11,500ft in the bowl found 30cm of snow from the past week sitting on P+ slabs. Lots of evidence of recent wind loading near and above treeline. Cornices have grown large. Saw recently loaded SE slopes on headwall of the bowl w/ softer slabs poorly bonded to underlying slick layers. Rapid warm-up and solar might be enough to see activity on these slopes.