Gunnison

Avalanche

Crested Butte Avalanche Center · Jan 8, 2014 · Gunnison

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Weather

Overcast skies with very light snow, increasing around lunch. Moderate W winds shifting to SW in the afternoon. High temp of 21 at 10k and 10 at 12k. Heavy snow at 1745, 1-2”/hr intensity, snow and blow even at movie cabin.

Snowpack

HST 4” of low density powder 3.5% with 1” of settlement all as of 1600. HS 51. 4F wind slab from moderate SW winds loading east barkmarker as of 1500.

Avalanche

Skied along SE facing ridge, cracking 10-18” deep and 10-20 foot wide pockets pulling all along ridge. 2 Slides in sunny shoulder SS-ASu-R2-D2-O ran on 2-3mm radiation recrystallization facets on surface of 4cm knife hard crust. ~14” crown ran full track, sensitive. Wide propagation and 2m deep debris. Stability rapidly decreasing at 1800.