Gunnison
AvalancheCrested Butte Avalanche Center · Jan 29, 2018 · Gunnison
Weather
april warm, not a hint of wind
Snowpack
18 inches deep and facets at start of hike getting progressively deeper the higher we climbed reaching a depth of 5 feet, give or take, above treeline with stiff and thick midpack sitting on good old facets. Eight inches of ski pen as we got higher and on descent off of ridge top.
Avalanche
Plenty of pockets of old avalanches on anything due north in the trees and steeper than 30 degrees. Once we dipped below treeline on descent there was plenty of cracking in top 10-14 inches on N and NE aspects on steeper slopes. Got a pocket to release, 14 inches deep, above a skier while skiing a due north gully that was no steeper than 30 degrees, maybe 32 degrees at point of release. Top 14 inches moving slowly for about 75 feet and then creeped to a stop. Burial not likely but would have sucked on steeper, more sustained pitch. Super slick bed surface evident as we continued lower in elevation