Gunnison

Avalanche

Tom Schaefer · Dec 23, 2015 · Gunnison

Weather

First clearing after phase one of the christmas week storm, clearing with moderate winds from the WSW.

Snowpack

HS of 47" storm total of 27" on the morning of the 23rd . W and N aspects that have not been boot packed, and have had moderate patrol traffic(including ski cuts and explosives work). Initial hand charges have not been as effective as ski cuts. On the 22nd there were multiple slides triggered after explosives w/ ski cuts running on an old snow interface at the ground. There was no cohesion in the snow pack but there was propagation up to 200'. ON the 23rd the wind had created more of a to slab on leeward aspects and become more reactive to explosives and ski cuts, but still more reactive to ski cuts in general. Very touchy right now w/ shooting cracks up to one meter deep even on slopes below 30 degrees ABT, NTL, and BTL.

Avalanche

Monument-SS-ASu-R2-D2.5-O West wall-SS-ASu-R2-D2-O Forest-SS-AE-R1-D1-O Big Hole-SS-N-R2-D2-O