Gunnison

Avalanche

Ben Pritchett · May 19, 2021 · Gunnison

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Snowpack

Heavy rain on Monday and Tuesday (May 17-18) melted any sign of recent snowfall. Dust is present on the snow surface. Many near-treeline slopes melted back to mud and dirt, especially in paths that avalanched earlier in the season.

Avalanche

Rain caused a minor shed cycle with very thin (less than a 2" thick) loose avalanches spilling out of very steep terrain. Only observed one avalanche that gouged below the dirty old snow surfaces into whitish snow below. This ran above treeline on Mt. Axtell on a cliffy northeast-facing slope, producing a D1 pile at the base of a cliff.