Gunnison

Snowpack

Anonymous · Dec 18, 2011 · Gunnison

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Weather

Tour up to Coney's Bowl. Clear skies, steady sun and warming temperatures. Max air temp observed of +3.5C at 1400 at 10,800 ft.

Snowpack

Profiles on NE aspects at 10,400 ft showed the usual weak and mostly faceted snowpack. Profiles on East aspects in exposed and wind affected terrain showed a different snowpack: HS of around 80 cm and a harder layer resting on weaker snow in the upper snowpack and also some strong over weak layering in the middle and lower snowpacks. Previous storm snow and a wind crust were sitting on 10 cm of buried surface facets in the upper snowpack and did produce repeateatable CTM scores that collapsed suddenly. An ECT showed little sign of propagation on that same facet layer. Signifancant surface hoar continuing to grow on all aspects near and below treeline and persisting on shady slopes.