Gunnison

Avalanche

Ian Havlick · Jan 31, 2014 · Gunnison

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Weather

Fog and snow up to S5 at times. Calm winds, no snow transport. Temperatures felt mid 20s.

Snowpack

~25" new snow, "right side up" snow, but quite moist and slabby. Widespread cracking and booming collapses from my weight and the new snow collapsing rain crust/MFcr/FCnr, probably combination of all the above. Saw numerous natural avalanches in steep terrain and rollovers failing on old snow interface.

Avalanche

Shooting and echelon cracking on any slope with any bit of incline. Remotely triggered a a size 2 avalanche on a steep rollover on an ESE facing slope below treeline. Failed below rain crust on old 2mm FCnr grains. wide propagation. Slab ranged from F-harness on surface to 4F near bed surface. Observed many natural avalanches on GIbson Ridge (N-NE facing, steep, below treeline, see photo) above south side of town during a brief lull midday.