Gunnison
AvalancheCBAC Staff · Dec 15, 2023 · Gunnison
Weather
CLOUD COVER Few TEMPERATURE (F) Not Observed NEW OR RECENT SNOWFALL (CM) 6 RAIN/SNOW LINE Not Observed SNOW AVAILABLE FOR TRANSPORT Small Amounts WIND LOADING Light WEATHER SUMMARY The few inches of new snow were easily transported by last night's and today's northerly winds. Wind speeds varied from moderate to light throughout the day at higher elevations, with periods of blowing snow throughout the day.
Snowpack
While breaking trail BTL on Pearl Pass Road, we observed frequent collapses and cracks underfoot that would only radiate a foot or two out from our skis under decaying soft slabs. A few collapses radiated further, up to 20 or 30 feet, which seemed to be associated with a collapsible crust above the basal weak layer. We also got a collapse and shooting cracks that remotely triggered a persistent slab on a SW aspect ATL. This failed at the 11/30 interface: facets above a hard crust.
Avalanche
A couple of large avalanches with hard slab in the debris that looked fresh; I suspect they ran with last night's wind event. These were on W to SW aspects above treeline. We remotely triggered a persistent slab on smaller but similar terrain. We also triggered a fresh wind slab that was up to 18" thick on a heavily drifted feature. And by we, I mean my avalanche-hungry runaway ski that aired into the wind-loaded pocket, triggered the slide, and then outran the slide like a champ. That was a first.